Skip to main content

Ireland and Malta police drink-drive crackdowns

As part of Ireland's Operation Artery, police officers staged a number of Super 'Mandatory Alcohol Testing' (MAT) checkpoints in a crackdown on drink-driving in Dublin over the weekend of 11-12 January 2014. In addition to intoxicated driving, general road offences were also targeted, including use of seatbelts, vehicle lighting, tyre condition, driving licences, insurance and road tax. Four separate Super MAT one hour checkpoints occurred simultaneously between the hours of 11.30pm on the 11 January and
January 16, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Irish police at work at a ‘Mandatory Alcohol Testing’ checkpoint during the recent Operation Artery weekend drink-drive crackdown in Dublin
As part of Ireland's Operation Artery, police officers staged a number of Super 'Mandatory Alcohol Testing' (MAT) checkpoints in a crackdown on drink-driving in Dublin over the weekend of 11-12 January 2014.

In addition to intoxicated driving, general road offences were also targeted, including use of seatbelts, vehicle lighting, tyre condition, driving licences, insurance and road tax.

Four separate Super MAT one hour checkpoints occurred simultaneously between the hours of 11.30pm on the 11 January and 12.30am on 12 January in various locations around Dublin. During these checkpoints a total of 888 vehicles went through. 302 people were breath tested and one arrest was made. There were also 10 general detections for Road Traffic Offences.

Assistant Commissioner John Twomey, Garda National Traffic Bureau, said: "I would like to thank motorists for their co-operation during these checkpoints, and, as the figures show, the vast majority of people tested were compliant with the legislation.

“I want to also send a very strong message to all drivers and remind them that members of An Garda Síochána are out in force every night and day, all around the country, targeting intoxicated driving and other key life saver road offences. Never ever drink and drive."

Traffic police officers in Malta were out early on Sunday 12 January 2014 to emphasise that drink-driving offences can be committed the morning after drinking.

Related Content

  • WASH AND GO
    February 9, 2018
    Our Skidmarks page is highly rated by readers. Your input could help make this page even more entertaining. If you come across any amusing road-related stories or pictures email me at [email protected]
  • Caterpillar Paving offers a guide to efficient night time paving practices
    October 3, 2014
    Efficient night-time paving operations can reduce construction costs and cut traffic delays - *Todd Mansell writes As roads become more congested, the user cost of daytime lane closures to accommodate road construction and paving has increased dramatically. One solution to lower user costs associated with traffic delays is to carry out more paving at night during off-peak times. However night-time paving brings new challenges to producing quality work in safely.
  • Drink driving problem increases
    February 24, 2021
    The drink driving problem has increased in the UK.
  • Europe’s road safety targets at risk
    June 15, 2015
    The EU’s targets for road safety are at risk due to increased fatalities in France, Germany and UK. This new analysis has been published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). According to the ETSC data, 2014 showed the lowest annual reduction in EU road deaths since 2001. In all 25,845 people were killed in road crashes in the 28 nations of the EU during 2014. This represented a decrease of just 0.6% compared to 2013. EU member states now need to cut deaths by almost 8% each year until 2020 to me