Gardai in the South East will be making extra efforts to tackle road safety in 2017.
A zero tolerance approach will be brought into operation from today onward.
Anyone hitting the road this New Year's Day is being warned to be aware of driving today after consuming alcohol last night.
Alcohol and tiredness is a lethal combination.
Inspector Carmel Banville from Waterford Garda Station has this warning:
"The advice for motorists the next day, especially if you've had a lot to drink and you've been out late - don't go and collect your car the next morning and think that you're OK to drive it....you're not.
Number one you still have alcohol in your system but number two you're also tired, so that combination is lethal.
Wait a minimum of eight hours then get in your car and drive again. I know that people think that after every hour I can get rid of the alcohol from my system but that's only one aspect of it.
The second aspect of it is that you've been out all night and you're tired and you're just not going to be in a position to drive safely especially if it's a long journey you've traveled to be with people. It's not going to be safe for you to be on the roads."
