PHOTOS: Undercover Garda truck catching Kildare drivers on mobile phones

A Scania lorry cab used by gardaí to clamp down on dangerous driving in Kildare. 

The heavy goods vehicle tractor cab was acquired by An Garda Síochána as part of efforts to target distracted and careless driving, as well as checking for seatbelt use by HGV drivers.

The lorry is already in use on the country's dual-carriageway and motorway networks such as on the N7, M7 and M4 in Co Kildare. 

The road safety initiative under Operation Iompar helps with tackling inappropriate behaviour by people behind the wheel.

Similar undercover HGV vehicles are in use by police in the UK, Belgium and Germany. 

Gardaí would not confirm if the vehicle is in use in Co Kildare because for operational purposes, the force doesn’t provide specific information on the deployment of resources.

But a Garda spokesperson added: "As part of Operation Iompar, since September 2024, a Garda unmarked HGV has been deployed across the roads network."

The unmarked lorry cab has had its speed limiter removed so that it can reach speeds of up to 120km per hour if required and is equipped with blue flashing Garda lights.

The vehicle is driven by a trained garda and a second observer garda uses the elevated position to see down into cars and vans. The higher vantage point also allows the officer to look into other HGV cabs.

The garda lorry cab is accompanied on patrols by either a garda patrol car or an unmarked garda car known as the interceptor vehicle, which follows a short distance behind.

If any offences are detected, the information is relayed to the interceptor car and the offending drivers are pulled over by the gardaí.

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