This article is from page 8 of the 2006-04-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
FOUR out of every five people arrested on suspicion of drink driving in Clare last year were convicted and put off the road.
The revelation that there was an 83 per cent conviction rate in Clare last year comes amid Garda warnings that people who drink and drive over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend will pay the price.
The number of people arrested on suspicion of drink driving in the county is continuing to rise.
Ninety people were arrested between January 1 and yesterday (Monday), which is a 23 per cent increase on the same period in 2005.
The head of the Traffic Corps in Clare, Inspector Kevin Moynihan said drink drivers were “likely to get caught and as likely to get convicted in court. An 83 per cent conviction rate is certainly one of the highest in the country.”
He said people appear to have slowed down behind the wheel in the past week, with the introduction of the additional 31 penalty points offences.
The Bank Holiday clampdown will kick off on Thursday night and will run through to Tuesday morning.
“There has been a marked decrease in speeding in the past week, but we are still warning drivers to take care this weekend. Don’t drink and drive and observe your speed,” he said.
“Towns, villages and licensed premises will be monitored,” he added.
A new unmarked vehicle, allocated to the Divisional Traffic Corps at the end of March, will be used to target drink drivers and those who are driving in an erratic manner.
Meanwhile, the Garda Traffic Corps in Ennis should be extended by June, while the new Traffic Corps, to be based in Killaloe, is also expected to be up and running by then.
Interviews for the positions will be held next week.