Motorist clocked in Donegal travelling at 147km/h on National Slow Down Day

A motorist was clocked speeding at 147km/h in Donegal on Friday, on National Slow Down Day.

The car was travelling in a 100km/h Zone on the N13 Speenoge at Burt, while An Garda Siochana also publicised that there was a motorist going at 87km/h in a 60km/h Zone on the R267 Portnason, Ballyshannon.

During the 24-hour period of National Slow Down Day from 7am yesterday, Friday, to 7am this morning, Saturday, GoSafe checked the speed of 140,720 vehicles and detected 211 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit.

An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to drivers to comply with speed limits in order to reduce the number of speed related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on our roads.

The aim of "Slow Down Day” is to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding, to increase compliance with speed limits and act as a deterrent to driving at excessive or inappropriate speed. The overall objective is to reduce the number of speed related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on our roads.

Last year saw an increase in fatal road traffic collisions, with 157 lives tragically lost on the road, the largest death toll on our roads since 2016. So far this year there have been 52 fatalities on our roads, an increase on three on the same day last year.

Recent Garda enforcement data and RSA research demonstrates that drivers continue to speed. During 2022, 73% of fatal collisions occurred on rural (80km/h or more) roads with 27% on urban roads.

It has been estimated that 30% of fatal collisions are as a direct result of speeding or inappropriate speed.