Driver caught travelling 127kmh in 60kmh zone in Cavan over bank holiday weekend

The latest fatality brings the number who have died on Irish roads since the start of the year to 71, 15 more than this time last year.

Molly Dempsey (15) lost her life in a single-vehicle crash in Co Wicklow on Sunday morning.

The young girl died after the car in which she was a passenger crashed near Slaney Park in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, shortly before 5am on Sunday.

Friends paid tribute to Molly after news of her death, with one describing her as a “beautiful angel”.

It comes as gardai said they arrested 196 for driving under the influence, which amounts to one during each of the operation, over the long weekend.

An extensive Garda Roads Policing Operation was in place between 7am on Thursday until 7am this morning, Tuesday.

“There was one fatality on our roads during this period and nine serious injury collisions took place that resulted in ten people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries,” a spokesperson said.

Over the weekend, gardaí carried out more than 1,090 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints.

“5,349 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted by Gardaí which led to the arrest of 196 people for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. That’s one arrest during each hour of our enforcement operation,” a spokesperson said.

Throughout the weekend, gardaí detected over 900 drivers for speeding offences while out on Irish roads using hand held speed detection technology.

Notable top speeds detected include: 81km/h in a 50km/h zone on the N61 at Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon, 127km/h in a 60km/h zone on the R188 near Doocassan, Co Cavan, 136km/h in an 80km/h zone along the R731 at Rathnure, Co Wexford and 153km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N11 Newcastle, Co Wicklow.

Other road defences detected by gardaí over the weekend including more than 220 using mobile phones, over 100 people caught with no seatbelts, while 170 fines were issued to unaccompanied learner drivers.

Gardaí also seized a total 613 vehicles for a range of road traffic offences under Section 41 of the Roads Traffic Act.

Chief Superintendent, Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: "The vast majority of road users supported our operation over the long weekend to keep people safe, but it is of real concern that almost 200 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence.

"There is only so many ways that we can say this and we won’t be polite about it – never, never, ever get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of drink or drugs. Any day, any time.

"The financial penalty, prospect of losing your licence or criminal offence and time in prison might not be enough of a deterrent to some but the potential of causing serious and/or fatal injuries to yourself as well as others should be enough to stop you.”