34,000 caught drink driving over five year period
The number of motorists drink and drug driving is continuing to rise.
The highest rates of drink driving were found in Cavan and Monaghan.
According to a report in today's Irish Independent, 34,000 drivers were caught over the last five years.
Nationally about 11 out of 1,000 people tested were under the influence of drink or drugs.
CSO figures indicate major regional differences in detection rates.
In the Cavan-Monaghan Garda division, the rate was 19 per 1,000 for both drugs and alcohol.
Westmeath and Donegal had the next highest rates.
Wicklow had the lowest rate at 8.2 per 1,000.
The area with the biggest total number of drink driving detections was Dublin where over 6,500 were caught during the period from January 2014 to September 2018. The head of the Road Safety Authority says the drink-driving message hasn't got through to many younger people.
"We are seeing that that demographic seem to have missed the message," said Moyagh Murdock.
"You cannot take alcohol and drive safely. It impairs driving and you can never, ever take a chance, not with your life, not with other people's lives.
