A Garda Inspector says the number of drivers texting and watching videos while driving in Waterford is “scary”.

Divisional Roads Policing Inspector Paul Donohoe made the comments to WLR following a recent roads policing operation in Waterford during which such behaviours were widely witnessed.

“We’ve moved into a sphere where people do everything with their phones,” he said. “They cannot leave them out of their hands and that’s a problem when it comes to driving cars.”

“It’s absolutely scary the amount of people texting, looking at videos on phones while driving on the Quays in Waterford, around Ferrybank, on the link roads.”

Inspector Donohoe highlighted other concerning behaviours and outlined plans to step up seizures of illegal e-scooters.

Inspector Donohoe said the increase in road fatalities in Waterford is hugely concerning.

“Last year was horrific,” he said. “We lost ten people in Waterford’s policing area last year.”

This followed seven deaths in 2024 and three in 2023.