A five-day Police Service of Northern Ireland road safety crackdown has detected 2,132 speeding drivers, alongside 308 further traffic offences.

Operation Lifesaver, which ran from 27 to 31 July, uncovered multiple cases of motorists travelling at twice and even three times the limit. Examples included a restricted driver clocked at 62mph in a 30mph zone on the Tandragee Road in Poyntzpass; a driver recorded at 81mph on the 40mph Knockbreda carriageway in Belfast; and another travelling at 90mph on the A2 Garron Road in Glenariff, where the limit is 30mph.

Other notable detections included a motorist speeding at 105mph on the 60mph Belfast Road at Nutts Corner. While the operation primarily targeted speeding, with most detections made by Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership safety camera vans, officers also identified a range of additional offences. These comprised 59 detections for careless driving, 45 for no insurance, 57 for construction and use offences, 18 drink or drug driving detections, 18 for not wearing a seatbelt and 15 for using a mobile phone while driving. Commenting on the figures*, Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson, Head of the PSNI's Road Policing Unit, said: "Despite repeated police appeals for motorists to slow down, there are still drivers speeding. There are still drivers who are not heeding our fatal five messaging, drivers who think it's okay to drink-drive, to not wear a seatbelt, to drive an uninsured car or use your phone while driving.

"Anyone who speeds, who commits any of these offences, is putting their life and the lives of others at risk. It's unacceptable, and there has to be a societal attitude change towards speeding and road safety in general. The attitude 'it's not really a crime', or 'the worst won't happen to me' has to change and people have to take personal responsibility for their actions. Drivers must think what they need to do keep themselves and every other road user safe."

"From the start of the year, 44 lives have been lost on Northern Ireland's roads and too many people have been left injured as a result of a road traffic collision. Take a moment to think about this," urges Chief Inspector Simpson.

"These are more than statistics. Each death is a catastrophic loss, with too many people whose lives have been changed in an instant. Actions behind the wheel don't just affect the driver, they affect other road users too.

"Remember the Fatal Five - slow down, stay off your phone, never drink or drug drive, don't get distracted and always wear your seatbelt.

"Making sure you do all you can as a driver and road user to ensure your journey is safe should be a priority at all times because the road is something we all share. A little more patience, respect and awareness could save a life."



*These are provisional figures that have been provided as of 3 August and are, therefore, subject to change.