An Garda Síochána announced details of a new national road safety enforcement operation that will target driver behaviour for the remainder of 2021.

Operation ‘Teorainn’ will be mounted nationwide and focus on the four Lifesaver Offences; speeding, driving whilst intoxicated, non-seatbelt wearing and mobile phones, as well as unaccompanied driving by learner drivers, plus road transport offences.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) will support Operation ‘Teorainn’ with a programme of road safety awareness campaigns.

The joint road safety drive comes after a bad summer for road safety this year, particularly August which recorded the highest number of monthly fatalities - 24 - since June 2012 (26).

The number of deaths overall this year at 110 is a cause for concern, but particularly the number of driver deaths. There has been a 19% increase in the number of drivers killed (57) this year compared to the number of drivers killed (48) up to the same period in 2020.

In 2021 78% of fatalities have occurred on rural roads with a speed limit of 80km/h or above which will be a particular focus of Operation ‘Teorainn’.

"Every fatal or serious injury collision has a devastating impact on the family, friends and communities of the people involved," said Chief Superintendent Michael Hennebry, of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau.

"Our focus for the remainder of 2021 will be to reduce these collisions through this road safety enforcement campaign. Our roads are shared spaces, and we all have a duty of care, to ourselves and to others, to keep each and every road user safe. I am urging every road user to play their part by complying with the road traffic legislation and assist An Garda Síochána to make our roads safer places for all."

With just two and a half months remaining in 2021 An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority are calling on road users, and particularly drivers, to make a greater effort to stay safe on the road. 33 people were killed in the final three months of last year.

To date in 2021, a total of 111 lives have been lost on the road in 100 fatal collisions.