Gardaí in Dublin got more than they bargained for earlier today (August 16) after initially stopping a motorist for driving a vehicle while using a mobile phone.
Members of Mountjoy's Garda division pulled over the driver of a navy Toyota Corolla saloon on Dublin's North Circular Road only to observe a further three major driving breaches on closer inspection.
Taking to the Garda Traffic Twitter (X) account, Gardaí said that they "clocked" an oven protruding from the vehicle's boot below which the vehicle had sustained substantial damage, deeming it to be unroadworthy.
The vehicle was also untaxed.
Gardaí have stated that the vehicle has since been seized with a court appearance for the motorist to follow.
A hot pursuit! 🔥
Mountjoy Gardaí were on routine patrol when they spotted the driver of this vehicle using a phone while driving.
Then they clocked the oven and dangerous defects to the vehicle that was also without tax.
It's been seized and court will follow.#SaferRoads pic.twitter.com/mVBkZXf6sc
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) August 16, 2023
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that motorists in Waterford are most likely to be breathalysed by Gardaí.
An average of three motorists were tested for drink-driving at each Garda checkpoint last year but Waterford had the highest number in the country.
Figures published by the Department of Justice show almost 150,000 motorists underwent a breathalyser at approximately 50,000 Mandatory Intoxication Testing checkpoints set up by gardaí during 2022.
The figures indicate that 4.5 per cent of the country’s 3.3 million licensed drivers were breathalysed last year.
Motorists in Waterford were most likely to be subjected to a breath test at a checkpoint with 9.2 per cent of all licence holders in the county tested during 2022 – a total of 7,864 tests.
