Detections for drug driving are on the rise across County Waterford, according to a local Sergeant.
Drivers are being urged to take care on the roads with another bank holiday weekend on the horizon.
The number of fatalities on the roads in the first ten weeks of 2024 is higher than this time last year, and people are being urged to play their part in bringing down the numbers.
Sergeant Conor Cleary from Dungarvan Garda Station has warned that anyone attempting to drive under the influence will be prosecuted.
"We've definitely seen an increase in drug driving amongst all ages, and we now have the devices for detecting the usage of consumption of drugs on the roadside. So a simple roadside breath test or a simple roadside oral fluid test for detection of be it alcohol or drugs, will give us an indication for the presence of drugs or alcohol in the body on the roadside."
"I'd just like to remind people that if they are travelling on the roads, say the Bank Holiday weekend coming up for Easter, know the road, be familiar with the area, don't have any distractions, be it mobile phone usage or kids in the car can be a distraction."
"Concentrate on your driving as you're driving and concentrate on your arrival at your journey when you get there. Just to be switched on, to slow down and never ever drink and drive or never take drugs and drive. Every task that we complete on the roads, be it speeding, mobile phone usage, drink driving, intoxicated driving, drug driving, is definitely foremost on our objectives and we also look at road safety in general. Everyone that uses the roads, be it pedestrians, cyclists or drivers, we all have a part to play to reduce road traffic incidents of serious and fatalities."
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