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Gardaí can now be given permission to drive against the flow of traffic on motorways and dual carriageways during pursuits.
A new spontaneous pursuits procedure from An Garda Síochána outlines that gardaí can drive contra-flow to traffic if it is safe to do so.
The new procedure means pursuits no longer have to automatically be called off when a chase goes contra-flow to traffic – a garda source has confirmed.
Spontaneous traffic pursuits are managed from a control centre and will now determine if gardaí are permitted to drive on the wrong side of a motorway or dual carriageway in pursuit of a criminal.
This tactic is occasionally used by criminals in an effort to call off a chase.
A Garda was summoned to face a Circuit Court this year after pursuing a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the N7 in 2021 which saw the three occupants of the car die following a head on collision with a truck.
The new procedure stresses that pursuits should not cause risk to the public.