Car travelling at 181 km/h seized by Mayo gardaí

A motorist detected driving at 181 km/h on the N5 in Mayo has had their car seized by gardaí.

The Mayo Roads Policing Unit was carrying out a speed checkpoint yesterday (Monday) evening on the N5 near Westport when a motorist was detected travelling at a speed of ️181km/h in a 100km/h zone.

A yellow rain warning was still in effect for Mayo at the time.

The motorist was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and will appear before the courts.

The car was seized under Section 109 (A) of the Road Traffic Act. Under this legislation, in order to get your vehicle back, you must apply to the judge of the District Court.

In a social media update, the gardaí highlighted how driving at high speeds on wet roads is dangerous primarily due to hydroplaning (or aquaplaning), which causes a loss of traction, steering, and braking control as tyres lose contact with the road surface.

Other dangers include significantly increased braking distances and reduced visibility from rain, which makes it difficult to see hazards and react in time.

Their message to motorists was: 'Speeding at this level puts everyone on the road at risk. Slow down. Drive safe. Arrive alive.'