One in 10 drivers caught speeding in the first three months of this year was travelling at least 30km/h above the speed limit, figures from the Gardai have shown.

One driver in Co Louth was clocked driving at 144km/h in a 50km/h zone.

The figures were released ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend and Gardai are appealing to drivers to slow down over the coming days. Fourteen people have died and 34 have been seriously injured in road accidents over the Easter period since 2009.

According to the figures, almost 45,000 fixed charge notices were issues to drivers for speeding offences between January and March of this year. This is an increase of 16% when compared with the same period last year.

Of these, 80% were travelling between 10 and 29km/h over the speed limit and 11% were travelling at least 30km/h too fast. Drivers were more likely to exceed the limit in 50km/h zones.

The Gardai said that this Easter they will be ‘intensively targeting speeding vehicles' with a number of high visibility checkpoints nationwide.

"Three people lost their lives over the Easter bank holiday in 2013. We must be safer on the roads and avoid this being replicated this bank holiday, a time when many people will travel to various parts of the country. Excessive or inappropriate speed is a significant factor in road traffic collisions so this week we are targeting those who fail to recognise this vital life saving fact," commented Assistant Garda Commissioner, John Twomey.

He pointed out that already this year, some drivers have been found to be travelling at ‘two and almost three times the posted speed limit'.

Examples of some of the worst offenders include:
-A driver on the M1 near Swords was clocked doing 160km/h in a 80km/h zone
-In Dunsany in Co Meath, a driver was clocked doing 120km/h in a 50km/h zone
-In Dunleer in Co Louth, a driver was clocked doing 144km/h in a 50km/h zone
-On the R639 in Cahir in Tipperary, a driver was clocked doing 189km/h in a 100km/h zone
-On the R511 in Ballysheedy in Limerick, a driver was clocked doing 126km/h in a 50km/h zone.

"The damage caused in the event of a collision in these circumstances is immense, and most likely fatal. Please recognise this fact before it's too late. Excessive or inappropriate speed causes devastation on our roads. This high-risk behaviour will continue to be intensively targeted and needs to change," Asst Commissioner Twomey said.