cuts in garda overtime budgets have led to a dramatic fall in the number of people being caught for drink driving.

An average of 1,251 people were caught drink driving each month this year, a drop of 20% from last year.

In 2008, each month netted 1,504 positive tests for what gardaí term DWI or "driving while intoxicated".

The numbers failing drink driving tests have shown a slow decline throughout the year from a relative high of 1,425 failed tests in March to 1,173 in August.

During May, they reached a yearly high of 1,489 to coincide with the bank holiday but since then the figure has hovered between 1,100 and 1,200 each month.

While some of the decrease has been attributed to improv­ed driver behaviour, senior gardaí said a cut in overtime reduced the number of checks being carried out. One officer said: "Even anecdotally, people will tell you that they are not passing through as many checkpoints compared to 12 months ago and it's obvious why that is.

"There are two factors at play here, however. Driver behaviour has improved because people genuinely fear getting caught now and the number of tests has begun to level off."

The number of drivers being caught for speeding has not declined and has shown a slight increase, according to figures from the garda press office.

In 2008, an average of 14,795 people were caught driving over the speed limit and faced a mandatory fine and two points on their licence.

However, for the first six months of this year, the figure had risen to 14,837, boosted by a May bank holiday blitz which netted 21,087 drivers.

Figures for those caught driving while holding a mobile or not wearing a seat belt showed a major fall-off, according to garda records.

In 2008, the number of people caught driving while holding a mobile phone averaged 3,436 a month. During the first six months of this year, that figure fell by 17% to 2,927 people a month.

The average number of drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt was 1,717 drivers each month this year. That's a drop of nearly 39% on last year when 2,388 drivers a month were stopped.

There has also been a decline in "other cases", according to the garda figures, which include a range of offences like driving in bus lanes or making illegal turns.

The numbers being caught for these types of offences has fallen by 20% from 17,238 monthly cases in 2008 to 14,329 a month this year.

The number of roadside checks being carried out is declining just as the garda clampdown on dangerous driving appeared to be paying dividends. The number of deaths on the road this year is on target for a record low of around 233, based on the 176 people who have lost their lives so far in 2009.

The decrease has been remarkable compared to previous years like 2001 and 2005 when 411 and 396 people respectively lost their lives.