This article is from page 6 of the 2006-03-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE number of people arrested for drink driving over the bank holiday weekend almost doubled, when compared with the same period last year.
Nine drivers were arrested on suspicion of the offence between Friday and yesterday (Monday). Three of these were in Ennis, while the rest were in various parts of the Clare Garda Division. This compares with five arrests during the same weekend last year.
It represents an increase of 14 per cent on last year and a phenomenal 54 per cent increase on the number arrested two years ago.
The head of the Clare Garda Divisional Traffic Unit, Inspector Kevin Moynihan, said the rising trend of arrests for drink driving was a concern.
“It is a worry, but it seems to be mirroring the national trend. There is a high level of enforcement. Hopefully people get the message,” said Inspector Moynihan.
The number of arrests for drink driving each year is continuing to rise in Clare. A total of 283 people were arrested during the whole of last year, which was an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year.
Garda sources said a “significant” number of people from Eastern Europe were arrested for drink driving in Clare in recent months and said this was contributing to the overall figure being so high.
Meanwhile, new measures which will see penalty points imposed for a further 31 offences are due to come into effect at the start of next month.
These include illegal overtaking, failure to obey traffic lights and failing to obey stop and yield signs.
Gardaí using the new hand-held computer system, introduced in recent weeks, say it is working well, with no major problems to-date.