[Article] Garda appeal ahead of bank holiday

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0601/safety.html

Garda appeal ahead of bank holiday
Friday, 1 June 2007 11:14

The gardaí are appealing for everyone to take care on the roads over the bank holiday weekend.

Speed, drink-driving and tiredness are the biggest causes of road deaths and collisions.

Seven people were killed on the roads on the last June bank holiday, but garda figures show that so far this year the number of road deaths is down by 20 on last year.

AdvertisementSpeed is the single biggest killer on the roads and gardaí are warning that speed limits are not a target to be reached and drivers should drive at a safe and comfortable speed.

A total of 4,500 people were caught drink-driving in the first three months of the year, and gardaí say they will be out in force this weekend.

Separately, the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, has said investing money in the country's main road networks will save up to 50 lives a year.

He said motorways and high quality dual carriageways were seven times safer than the roads they replaced.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of Irish Water Safety, John Leech, is appealing to the public to wear life jackets and swim at guarded bathing places this weekend.

He said the June Bank Holiday weekend has seen some of the most heart wrenching drowning tragedies.

He said the public needs to be aware that a full moon will mean we have higher than normal tides, which will give very strong tidal streams and currents in coastal areas.

There will also be very low tides, which will mean there is a greater risk of walkers and mussel pickers becoming stranded.

Victor

http://www.garda.ie/angarda/press_story3.html

Road Safety Campaign - June Bank Holiday
The summer holiday period begins this weekend and will see many people set out on long journeys.

Tragically seven (7) people died on our roads over the June bank holiday weekend last year. An ever increasing majority of people comply with road traffic laws. This is reflected in the number of road deaths this month [May]standing at twenty one (21), ten (10) less than for the same month last year.

However, An Garda Síochána continues to be concerned about the level of road deaths and injuries countrywide. We want to continue to see an increase in the compliance culture, and therefore all road users are asked to be vigilant and to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

Tiredness also contributes to road fatalities and injuries and so drivers should plan all journeys and stop in a safe place if they feel at all tired and take a short nap or break away from the road.

Inappropriate speed, the single greatest contributory factor to road deaths and serious injuries, will continue to be prioritised as part of Garda enforcement activities.

In the first quarter of this year there has been in the region of 44,000 speeding detections. Speed limits apply for everyone’s safety and drivers are urged to drive within the speed limit. However, speed limits should not be viewed as a “target” to be reached and drivers should always take account of road and weather conditions and adjust their speed accordingly.

The prioritisation of drink driving enforcement activities will also continue and has already seen in excess of 4,500 detected drink driving incidents recorded for the first quarter of the year, an increase of over 27% on the same period in 2006.

Drivers should never drink and drive. They should have a nominated non-drinking driver or use public transport, taxis/hackneys if going out for a drink.

So far this year thirty six (36) pedestrians have been killed on our roads. Pedestrians should take whatever steps they can to ensure their safety on the roads. In particular they should walk facing on-coming traffic, and use footpaths, pedestrian and designated crossings, where available, and wear bright clothing and reflective bands. Motorists are also urged to be more conscious of pedestrians walking on and crossing roads.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/10514926?view=Eircomnet&cat=National

Kate's family in bid to end carnage
From The Irish Independent
Sunday, 3rd June, 2007
NIAMH HORAN

THE family of Kate Moyles, the beautiful young mother who was killed tragically in the M7 pile-up, is set to launch a campaign this summer in an attempt to end carnage on Irish roads.

The appeal is expected to include a striking sticker, a poster and a T-shirt campaign in Kate's favourite colours, purple and white.

The 24-year-old's family is hoping to have a sticker, with a picture of Kate, put on the back window of every car in Ireland to get people to think twice when getting behind the wheel.

"In the past I have sat watching the television with Kate on occasions, and we might have seen an accident on the news and of course we would sympathise with the families involved. But now it's actually happened to us," said her devastated father Oliver from his home in the Curragh, Co Kildare.

"It can happen to anyone. So I would plead with people who are on the road this Bank Holiday weekend to think of the difference that split second or their lack of concentration makes and to realise that the consequences are absolutely huge."

The family's crusade will include lobbying planning authorities to ensure Irish roads become safer. They will also lobby educational and government bodies to promote road safety. Oliver Moyles said the pain of losing his beloved daughter was almost impossible to bear and he wants people to be aware of what they have to lose if they drive carelessly this weekend.

Speaking of Kate's only daughter - who celebrates her sixth birthday this weekend - he described how, although his family does its best, some things are irreplaceable.

"Poor little Ella. She had a great bond with her mother. She's very strong but sometimes she would start crying and when I'd ask her what's wrong, she'd say, 'I miss my mammy's hug and I miss my mammy's kiss.' And that's heartbreaking. We can give her all the hugs in the world but we can't replace the precious hug she used to get from her mammy."

But he added: "The sky is a great help in terms of trying to explain everything to her. Now she can pick out her mammy's star and that would be her little piece of comfort each night."

Kate died when her car collided with a fire engine called to the scene of what has been described as the biggest pile-up in the history of the State. Fog conditions were particularly bad. Kate had just dropped her daughter Ella off at school and was on her way to her job at a doctor's surgery in Sallins when theaccident happened.

Meanwhile, Gardai warned yesterday as they mounted a crackdown over the Bank Holiday weekend that inappropriate speed continued to be the single greatest contributory factor to road deaths and serious injuries, writes Don Lavery.

A total of 44,000 people were caught speeding in the first quarter of the year.

Seven people died on our roads over the last June holiday weekend and while road deaths are down - 21 dead in May, compared to 31 in May 2006, Gardai said speed limits should not seen as a "target" to be reached. Drivers should take account of the road and weather conditions and adjust their speed accordingly, they warned.

With so many people setting out on long journeys, tiredness also contributes to road deaths and injuries, a spokesman said. People should stop and take a rest in a safe place if they feel tired,he added.

Gardai said they would continue to prioritise drink-driving enforcement, New figures show that 4,500 people were arrested for drink driving in the first quarter of the year, an increase of over 27 per cent on the same period in 2006.

This weekend, Gardai again reiterated the well-worn message: never drink and drive. If you are going out for a drink, have a nominated non-drinking driver or use public transport or taxis and hackneys, a spokesman said.

Despite the fall in overall road deaths compared to this time last year, 138 dead compared to 167, people continue to die on our roads.

Last Monday, a 93-year-old male car driver died after a collision between his car and a lorry at Drumkeen on the Letterkenny to Ballybofey Road in Co Donegal.

The dead man was named as Robert Christie from Drumaweir, Greencastle, CoDonegal. The driver of the lorry received minor injuries and was taken to Letterkenny Hospital.