Kildare Gardaí catch speeding drivers after locals complain
Residents had raised concerns about the difficulties they face safely exiting their driveways
Motorists in Kildare have been warned to slow down after the Naas Roads Policing Unit carried out targeted speed enforcement operations in Newbridge and surrounding areas.
Following repeated complaints from local residents, Gardaí conducted targeted speed checks on the L7041 at Barretstown, Newbridge, where a number of drivers were detected travelling above the 60km/h speed limit.
Residents had raised concerns about the difficulties they face safely exiting their driveways, with speeding traffic also putting pedestrians, cyclists and other road users at unnecessary risk.
The Naas Roads Policing Unit said every driver detected speeding had made a conscious decision to ignore the posted limit.
Those caught during the operation were each issued with a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice of €160 and three penalty points.
Gardaí reminded motorists that excessive speed can have devastating consequences, warning that a driver’s actions can change another person’s life forever.
The enforcement activity comes as Gardaí also highlighted another serious speeding incident detected in the area.
While the European Rallycross Championship was taking place at Mondello Park, one motorist appeared to treat the public road as a racetrack after being detected travelling at 134km/h in an 80km/h zone.
The vehicle was stopped safely and, while Gardaí were dealing with the driver, another passing motorist pulled over to comment: “He deserved that.”
Gardaí said driving at such speeds is a deliberate decision and warned that public roads are not race tracks.
They stressed that anyone wishing to test their driving skills should do so in a controlled environment rather than on roads shared with families, cyclists and other motorists.
The driver was issued with a €160 Fixed Charge Penalty Notice and three penalty points.
The Naas Roads Policing Unit urged all road users to obey speed limits, drive responsibly and remember that a few seconds saved on a journey are never worth risking a life.
“Slow down. Arrive alive. Save the racing for the track,” Gardaí said.