Dublin Garda checkpoint map and drink driving calculator as phone warning issued for February Bank Holiday
Gardai will be on Dublin roads this Bank Holiday weekend - setting up checkpoints to deter road users from drink driving and driving while on their phones.Every member of An Garda Síochána on duty will be out conducting road traffic enforcement activity across the weekend, in addition to the usual extra dedicated Bank Holiday checkpoints. And gardai have warned the public to put away the phones while driving, after phone use behind the wheel spiked in 2025.They said: "8 persons have died on Irish roads to date (27/01/2026) in January 2026. 14 persons died on Irish roads in January 2025."Distracted driving is a significant factor in road safety. It is an offence to hold a mobile phone while driving a vehicle. Over the last 5 years An Garda Síochána has issued nearly 110,000 Fixed Charge Notice for holding a mobile phone while driving."There has been over a 30% increase in Fixed Charge Notices for holding a mobile phone from just over 18,500 FCNs in 2022 to nearly 24,500 FCNs in 2025." The Road Safety Authority carried out an Observational Survey on Mobile Device Usage during September and October 2025.It found:The results from this survey showed that 8% of motorists were using a handheld mobile device, and this represents a deterioration in behaviour when compared to the 2024 survey, where 6% of motorists were seen using a device.The highest rate of handheld mobile device usage was seen by LGV drivers at 15%, with rates ranging from 6% - 8% amongst drivers of other vehicle types.Of the drivers observed using a handheld mobile device, 48% were using the device in their hand, and 52% were using the device to their ear.The percentage of drivers seen using a handheld mobile device increased on motorways (+10%) and urban roads (+2%) in the 2025 study, with a slight improvement seen on rural 80km/h and 100km/h roads.In the 2025 study, male drivers were more likely to be observed using a handheld mobile device.The 2025 study saw increases in usage rates on most days of the week when compared with the results from the 2024 study.Handheld mobile device usage gradually improved over the course of the day in the 2025 study, consistent with the findings from 2024.Gardai and the Road Safety Authority are appealing to all road users to stay safe, with the basic messages being:Don’t drive distractedDon’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugsSlow downAlways drive within the posted legal speed limit and/ or at an appropriate speed to the prevailing conditionsAlways wear a seatbeltGardai have a handy Safety Camera Locations map posted on their website. The interactive map can be used for any county, and highlights any road where Gardai deploy their GoSafe speed vans in bright yellow.The map is available on the official Garda website here. It works on all standard devices like phones, tablets and desktops - but is a little easier to use on a computer.The speed van map was created using Google Maps and functions almost exactly the same. The main difference is that mobile device users have to use two fingers both for moving around the map and zooming in or out.And whether you're in your local pub or out on the town enjoying a few festive drinks, it's absolutely vital that you know what the legal limit is for getting behind the wheel. The limit currently stands at a blood alcohol level of 50mg for experienced drivers and at a blood alcohol level of 20mg for learners or professional drivers.There's a handy calculator that keeps track of how many drinks you have had and provides an estimation of how long it will take your body to process alcohol. If you want to calculate your own, head on over to drinkaware.ie and make sure to stay safe on the roads.Ahead of the February Bank Holiday, Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety Seán Canney said: "One of the most dangerous behaviours on our roads is driving while distracted. Driving while using a mobile device is utterly unacceptable but unfortunately, this behaviour has become far too common on our roads."Driving any vehicle requires your full attention, and it is unacceptable to put lives at risk by picking up the phone – whatever the reason. Too many families and communities have lost loved ones to road traffic collisions, and I appeal to all road users this weekend to put your devices away and to drive in a manner that protects the safety of other road users."Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
