Gardai to mount checkpoints on Kilkenny roads in month of action

Gardai will be out in force on Kilkenny’s roads for the month of February as part of a month of action to improve road safety.

The initiative follows the news there was an increase in deaths on our roads in 2019 compared to 2018. Last year 148 deaths were recorded on Irish roads, up from 141 the previous year.

There was a massive spike in Kilkenny which saw six people were killed on our roads in 2019, while just two road deaths were recorded in 2018.

Gardai say they are “committed to reversing the upward trend in Road Traffic Fatalities/Serious Collisions incidents for 2020”.

As part of the month of Action garda will be focusing on the enforcement of a number of key “lifesaver” areas to improve road safety, these include speeding; driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol; using mobile phones while driving; non-use of seat-belts; and general dangerous driving.

As part of the plan the garda will be setting up additional speed checks and for the first time will be able to use the new Garda mobility app to detect uninsured, unlicenced and disqualified drivers, and cars without tax or NCT. The new app enables them to run checks on the side of the road.

As part of the month of action, gardai will also be enforcing cycling laws, including parking in cycle lanes and dangerous overtaking of cyclists.