Kildare gardaí urge road users to adhere to new speed limits

Kildare has been readying itself for the upcoming change to speed limits on rural roads beginning this Friday 7 February.

Drivers can expect the change of speed limits from 80km/h to 60km/h on rural roads across the country.

More changes to speed restrictions are expected to come into effect later this year, with changes to speed limits on national secondary roads from 100km/h to 80km/h, and changes to limits in urban cores from 50km/h to 30km/h.

Roads Policing Inspector of the Kildare Division, Ronan McDonald, weighed in on the incoming speed limit changes.

He said: “This change will help in our in goal to reduce road deaths and serious injury collisions in line with our ‘Vision Zero’ aspiration for 2050.” 

“We in An Garda Síochána believe that speed reduction will contribute positively to road safety in County Kildare.” 

Drivers can expect roads policing on rural roads throughout the year, so it is important to adhere to this change in speed limit.

Inspector McDonald continued: “We ask that all road users to have safety to the forefront of their minds when using our road network and to only engage in behaviour that will positively contribute to a safer road network for all.”

The meaning of the rural speed limit sign, which is a white circle with three diagonal black lines, will also change from 80km/h to 60km/h.

If you are caught driving over the speed limit, you will get three penalty points and a fixed charge fine of €160.

If you do not pay the fine within 28 days, it increases to €240, and if this increased fine is not paid, you will be summonsed to court.

If convicted, you could be fined up to €1,000 and receive up to five penalty points.

You can avoid going to court by paying €320 (twice the sum of the original fine) no later than 7 days before the court date specified in the summons.

Some 174 people lost their lives on the country’s roads in 2024, while 180 people died in 2023.

The government’s current road safety strategy focuses on achieving ‘Vision Zero’ – zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050.

The speed limit changes follow a number of key recommendations from the Speed Limit Review, which was undertaken by the Department for Transport in 2023.

It was part of the last Programme for Government.

It was overseen by the Department of Transport and the Road Safety Authority and included representatives from An Garda Síochána, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and the City & County Management Association.