A national initiative is now underway in Wexford, in an effort to make the County’s roads safer.
The initiative known as ‘Operation Surround’ involves a series of high visibility MIT (mandatory intoxicant testing) checkpoints carried out simultaneously at key locations.
Roads Policing Officer for County Wexford, Paddy Casey, outlined how Operation Surround is being implemented here in Wexford:
“We have begun our Christmas campaign since the start of December. It involves targeting different towns every weekend.
We have an increase in the numbers of roads policing Guards conducting check points.
We are breathalysing people there and using the new tool in our arsenal which is drug wipes which can detect illegal drugs like cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines.”
Wexford Councillor Jim Moore, has called for the list for prescribed drugs for drug driving offences to be updated on an ongoing basis. He believes that Gardai are restricted in what they can do in this area and is calling on the government to update the list as a matter of urgency:
“Gardai are confined to a list of substances that they can prosecute. This is a matter for the Oireachtas to be updating this list to ensure Gardai are able to exercise the powers that are needed to protect people on our roads.”
To date, 172 people have lost their lives in road traffic collisions on Irish roads. This is 30 more deaths than at this time last year.
This week has been a particularly busy one for Emergency Services on Wexford Roads. There were a number of crashes on the roads causing injury to road users and road closures and delays.
On Monday the main N11 between Kyle Cross and Newcastle Cross was closed following a two vehicle collision, simultaneously there were further incidents in Blackwater, Castlebridge and Rosslare. There were three further incidents in North Wexford on Monday evening.
On Wednesday evening four people were taken to hospital after a 2 vehicle crash occurred between Enniscorthy and Raheenduff.
The incident happened at approximately 6pm and a number of emergency services attended the scene.
A recent spate of weather warnings has also caused difficult driving conditions on the roads in the County. As we head into winter, conditions are expected to get worse and Inspector Paddy Casey has urged people to be vigilant on the roads:
“Over the last number of weeks we have had many serious accidents and as we come into winter there is increased dangers on the road. Lighting isn’t great, we have cold snaps with icy roads as well. So we are appealing to people to just take care on the roads.”
An Garda Síochána are urging all road users to be safe this Christmas and New Year. The operation will focus on the dangers of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, without a seatbelt, speeding or using a mobile phone while driving.
Motorists are advised that a yellow rainfall warning remains in place in Wexford until lunchtime today, with a risk of localised flooding and difficult travelling conditions.
