Rise in October holiday drink-driving figures

The number of drunken drivers arrested by gardaí during the October bank holiday weekend was up by 46 per cent compared to the same weekend last year.

Data from An Garda Síochána shows that 320 drivers were arrested, compared with 219 in 2004. The policing arrangements for both weekends were broadly similar, a Garda spokesman said.

More than 9,000 people have been arrested for drink-driving during January to October, far higher than the 7,873 drivers arrested during the same period last year.

In a statement, An Garda Síochána admitted it was "concerned that the compliance culture is not changing sufficiently quickly".

Based on past trends, it is likely that over 60 per cent of those arrested will have twice the legal level of alcohol consumed.

Alan Richardson, acting chief executive of the National Safety Council (NSC), said random breath testing had to be introduced to seriously tackle the number of drunk drivers.

He said the increase in numbers arrested did not mean more drivers were drinking, and he welcomed a higher rate of detection by gardai.

"But we haven't reached the point yet - because of the absence of random breath testing - where we can say we're deterring people from drinking and driving."

Mr Richardson said there were still people, from all age groups, who thought they could safely drink and drive. And he said public awareness campaigns, such as the NSC's winter scheme to be launched later this month, only worked if they were backed up by garda enforcement.

"When you get the two together, there does seem to be a recognition that drinking and driving can't be done, that they're putting themselves at a horrendous risk of either killing themselves or killing someone else." He said random breath testing was the only critical form of intervention which would cut the numbers of drink drivers.

The Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Health are due to report on drink driving towards the end of the year as part of a consultation on a number of issues relating to alcohol.

Additional reporting: PA