Drove wrong way down N3

A suspected drunk driver sparked chaos on the N3 in the early hours of Easter Sunday after driving for miles on the wrong side of the road - forcing terrified motorists to swerve out of harm’s way to avoid a potential head-on collisions.

The alarming incident unfolded on the morning of April 5, as the vehicle travelled from Cavan towards Belturbet on the incorrect side of the carriageway, coming dangerously close to several oncoming cars.

Multiple Garda units were rapidly deployed in an effort to intercept the driver, who was eventually brought to a stop at an industrial estate in Belturbet.

The man behind the wheel appeared to be highly intoxicated and was arrested at the scene. He has since been charged and is due to appear before Cavan District Court in the near future.

He was one of three separate detections of driving under the influence over the Easter weekend. In one case, a driver tested positive for cocaine, while another motorist was also arrested for drink driving.

The arrests come amid a major nationwide Garda Roads Policing Operation which ran Thursday, April 2 until Tuesday, April 7. During this period, there were three fatalities on roads, and five serious injury collisions.

In excess of 175 drivers were meanwhile detected for intoxicated driving, in excess of 4,000 drivers were detected for speeding during the operation, with several hundred more detected using mobile phones (290) or failing to wear seatbelts (95).

Gardaí continues to appeal to road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.