Garda speed checkpoint: Bank holidays statistically more likely to see serious collisions as more people use roads. Photograph: Grainne Ni Aodha/PA
Bank holidays see more people on roads than usual, and fatal or serious collisions are statistically more likely to happen. The move to increase penalty points for specific periods like bank holiday weekends has been successfully introduced in other jurisdictions like Australia.Are Irish workers really the most productive on the planet?Before the August bank holiday, RSA chief executive Sam Waide highlighted the “alarming increase” in road deaths in the first half of 2023 as he advised drivers to slow down and warned people not to get behind the wheel if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
He said enforcement and the visibility of gardaí played a “huge role” but “we are also responding with new legislation, covering a range of issues and trends that have been identified as being significant contributors to road collision on our roads in one single Bill so the changes required can be made in a timely manner.” He said: “The data clearly shows there is increased risk on our roads on bank holiday weekends.