50 penalty notices issued for speeding in day of action amid road death spike

By Rebecca Black (Press Association)

Some 50 penalty notices were issued for speeding and 23 detections for road offences during a day of action on road safety amid a spike in deaths.

By July 27, 42 people had died on Northern Ireland’s roads in 2026, a significantly higher figure than to the same date in 2025 (27) and 2024 (35).

Police staged more than 35 vehicle checkpoints across the South Area on Tuesday.

They said the 23 detections for offences covered driving whilst unfit, dangerous and careless driving and driving while disqualified, as well as for other offences like possession of drugs and possession of a bladed article.

Meanwhile, quantities of drugs were also seized by police and a man who was wanted by police for breaching a sexual offences prevention order was also arrested.

Chief Superintendent Norman Haslett described the results of the day of action as showing “how risky the behaviour of some motorists on our roads continues to be”.

“Many of those detected yesterday were driving above the speed limit, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving carelessly and even dangerously, it just beggars belief,” he said.

“Our efforts to address the tragically high numbers of deaths on local roads will continue over the coming days and weeks, and local people can expect to see police officers out on the ground proactively carrying out further road safety operations but everyone needs to play their part.”

He said almost half of those who have died on the road this year were in the South Area.

“We need to do everything we can to stop the numbers from climbing any higher,” he said.

“Once again I ask that people pay attention to the fatal five – speeding, drink/drug driving, not wearing seat belts, careless driving and using mobile phones while driving.

“If we each begin to take more personal responsibility for our actions and do things a little differently, we can make our roads a much, much safer place for all of us.”