GARDAI will ramp up their efforts on road safety and launch a 24-hour crackdown on speeding, it has been confirmed.
Officers warned that the consequences of speeding can be “devastating” and confirmed that the national speed enforcement operation, marking National Slow Down Day, will begin tomorrow.
The number of speed checkpoints will be dramatically increased while the operation is in place, with gardai hoping to shine a light on the dangers of speeding and ensure more people stick to the limits.
A garda spokesperson explained: “An Garda Siochana conducts a number of high profile National Slow Down Days every year.
“The aim of National Slow Down Days is to remind motorists of the dangers of speeding, encourage a national conversation on the impact of speeding, to increase overall compliance with speed limits in place nationwide and to deter and detect those that are intent on driving at excessive or inappropriate speed.
“To date in 2025 there have unfortunately been 24 fatalities on Irish roads in 23 Fatal Road Traffic Collision’s.
“This is a reduction of 12 deaths on the same period in 2024.”
In 2024, cops issued over 145,000 Fixed Charge Notices to motorists driving in excess of the speed limit, meaning nearly 400 people were detected breaking the limit by Garda and GoSafe every single day.
And the speed operation comes just a few days after new speed limits were introduced on hundreds of roads across the country.
Default speed limits on rural local roads decreased from 80kmh to 60kmh while national secondary roads saw limits fall from 100kmh to 80kmh.
Gardai today warned that breaking the speed limit endangers lives.
A spokesperson said: “Driving in excess of the legal speed limit, and/ or driving at an inappropriate speed for the prevailing road, weather and traffic conditions not only puts you at risk but also endangers the lives of others around you.
“When you speed, it reduces the potential reaction time to react to something unexpected on the road and there is an increase in the likelihood of losing control of your vehicle, which could lead to a serious or fatal accident.”
SPEED ENFORCEMENT ZONES
The crackdown tomorrow involves speed enforcement zones – and there are over 1,542 of them dotted across Ireland.
The speed enforcement zones were selected based on fatal and serious injury collision data from the last number of years after all roads nationally were assessed.
This determined the road sections in which safety cameras have the best opportunity to prevent future death and serious injury to road users.
You can view a full list of each zone’s location on the Garda website, with dozens of zones located in every single county.
Dublin’s M50, M1, M2, M3, M4 and M11 all have zones while other busy roads across the country such as the N40, the N7, the N12, the N13, the N14 and the N3 all feature on the list.
Drivers could also be caught speeding on the busy N55 in Cavan, N63 or N61 in Roscommon, N19 in Clare, N69 in Kerry, N24 in Limerick, N25 in Cork or on the N80 in Kildare.
Lesser-used roads like the R312, R374, R569, R440 and the R395 also feature on the map outlining the zones.
‘DEADLIER CONSEQUENCES’
Gardai warned people that the higher the speed, the greater the impact if you crash and said inappropriate speed is as much of a problem on Ireland’s roads as speeding over the limit.
A spokesperson explained: “National Slow Down Day encourages a conversation on speed and road safety.
“Conversations on road safety should not only take place in the aftermath of fatal road traffic collisions, this is too late; These conversations should take place every day.”
Officers urged employers to have a Road Safety conversation with their employees today, adding that they should foster good driving practices and allow sufficient time for work journeys.
Gardai told how one in 10 pedestrians hit by a car at 30kmh an hour will die while 50 per cent will die if the speed is increased to 50kmh.
Some nine out of 10 people hit by a car travelling at 60kmh will die.
Gardai said: “The faster the speed > the more severe the impact > the deadlier the consequences.
“Inappropriate Speed – for prevailing weather/traffic/ road conditions – is a problem as much as exceeding the speed limit.
“An Garda Siochana remains committed to improving road safety on our roads, but An Garda Síochána alone will not stop all Fatal Road Traffic Collision.
“An Garda Síochána continues to actively work with relevant partners as per the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 ‘a strategic, coordinated and multi-sectoral approach to road safety across government and key stakeholders will be critical to achieving a safer, better Ireland for all’.”
