Tipperary Superintendent says number of traffic incidents in 2020 has been ‘staggering’

Photo © Tipp FM

A local senior Garda says the figures for traffic incidents so far this year are “staggering”.

Clonmel Superintendent Willie Leahy says they will be out on the roads around the county this Bank Holiday weekend to enforce road safety.

Speaking to Tipp FM, Superintendent Leahy outlined that the message just hasn’t been getting through to some people:

“The figures are staggering. When you look at the figures, there’s been a 17% increase in driving under the influence of specimens in the first six months of the year. There’s actually after been 1,216 drug-driving arrests in the first six months of the year.

“And I suppose, that’s six months of the year where at least three of them we were in a lockdown period because of Covid-19 – between March the 27th and June the 29th. A three month period when we had a 70% reduction rate supposedely in the traffic on our roads.

“So it is worrying and we need to get that message out and we need to get the message out loud and clear for the Bank Holiday Weekend.”

Superintendent Leahy also says people’s safety is paramount:

“We have a specific focus this Bank Holiday weekend in Tipperary of enforcing the road traffic legislation. We want people to go about and enjoy their weekend – travel wherever they have to travel – but to adhere to the road traffic legislation that’s there.

“Assistant Commissioner Hillman put it very clearly, if you drink or take drugs do not drive. And that’s what we’re asking people to do.”