Gardaí have issued a warning motorists should heed ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend

Be safe on the roads...

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána are warning road users of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs ahead of the May Bank Holiday Weekend. The warning comes following the introduction of Preliminary Drug Testing in Ireland. As of April 12, An Garda Siochana can now test for drugs at the roadside via a drug detection tool called the Drager 5000. This device will be used detect Cocaine, Opiates (like morphine and heroin), benzodiazepines (Valium-like drugs) and Cannabis in drivers. This builds upon previous efforts to tackle drug driving such as roadside impairment testing in 2014. The Road Safety Authority will front a nationwide educational campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of drug driving. Drivers are being reminded that the Gardaí will be setting up Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints over the Bank Holiday weekend at which they will be testing drivers for both alcohol and drugs at the roadside. Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Shane Ross, has appealed to all road users to take extra care on the roads this weekend. "Ahead of the May Bank Holiday," Ross said. "I am appealing to everyone to be mindful of how you use the road. In particular, I would urge drivers to be aware of the effects of alcohol on their driving, as any amount of it can impair driving and increase the risk of a collision. This is not an opinion - it’s a scientific fact. "There were no lives lost on the roads over the recent Easter Bank Holiday weekend, it would be a remarkable but not an impossible achievement if we could also keep the May Bank Holiday free from road deaths."