Gardaí said that despite traffic being reduced for certain periods over Christmas, the number of people found to be driving under the influence "remained high".
An Garda Síochána’s Christmas and New Year Road Safety Campaign for 2020 commenced on Friday 4 December and concluded on Tuesday 5 January 2021.
An Garda Síochána arrested 790 drivers for driving while intoxicated during this period.
The campaign had a primary focus on Mandatory Intoxicant Testing – detecting those who drive having consumed alcohol or drugs.
Gardaí said that despite traffic being reduced for certain periods over Christmas, the number of people found to be driving under the influence "remained high".
In 2020, there were a total of 148 fatalities on Irish roads. This compares with 140 in 2019. This is an overall increase of 6%.
However, there was a 38% decrease in the number of fatalities between 4 December 2020 up until 5 January 2021 (10), compared to those dates the year before (16).
For 2021, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman of the Roads Policing and Community Engagement Bureau continues to appeal to all road users to remember the basics of road safety.
She said: "The message is clear, never drive if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or a combination of both.
"We also ask that drivers increase their compliance with speed limits in order to lower speed related collisions. This will reduce injuries on our roads and save lives."
