Over 70,000 speeding offences have been detected so far this year, with one in 10 of these found to be travelling at least 30km/h above the posted speed limit, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said.

Along with the Gardai, it is appealing to drivers to slow down this bank holiday weekend and throughout the summer.

"Figures show that the June bank holiday has consistently been the starting point for what is traditionally the most dangerous period on Ireland's roads - summertime. In the last five years, 256 people have died in June, July and August. Over the next three months it is possible therefore that 51 lives could be lost in summertime crashes on the nation's roads," the authority said.

It pointed out that 17 people have died in road accidents over the June bank holiday weekend between 2010 and 2014, while 45 people have been seriously injured.

According to RSA chief executive, Moyagh Murdock, people assume that the winter is more risky for drivers because of the increased darkness, poor weather and often poor road conditions, ‘but the opposite is true and summertime is more dangerous'.

"Probably because there are no obvious dangers, the weather is fine and days brighter, we relax our guard. From the June bank holiday weekend onwards we really do need to have road safety at the top of our minds. Cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists are most at risk and drivers really do need to keep their wits about them, slow down and always be ready to react," Ms Murdock commented.

Meanwhile, according to Chief Superintendent Mark Curran of the Garda National Traffic Bureau, excessive or inappropriate speed ‘is the main contributory factor in road traffic collisions'.

"If it goes wrong for you on the road, the greater the speed at which you crash, the more severe the consequences will be. Please help us to make the summer months ahead, what is traditionally a high risk period on the roads, a safe and enjoyable one for all road users. Reduce speed, drive to all the prevailing conditions, and watch out for all other road users," he said.

He noted that among the drivers caught speeding this year, one was driving at almost 200km/h.

In fact, figures released by the Gardai show that more than 1,700 speeding detections related to drivers travelling 40km/h or more above the posted speed limit. Some of the worst offenders included:
-A driver on the Cappagh Road in Finglas, Dublin, doing 140km/h in a 50km/h zone
-A driver in Ballacolla, Laois, doing 195km/h in a 120km/h zone
-A driver in Keadue, Donegal, doing 189km/h in a 100km/h zone
-A driver on the R563 at Faha East in Kerry doing 178km/h in a 60km/h zone.