What is the obsession with Road closures !!!

mayotom

Every day on the news we hear of road closures and diversions, sometimes for whole days

For example in the unfortunate case in Laois the M7 was closed because of a search near the road.
Every time there is a road crash, the Gardai seem to close the road for hours on end, Sometimes overnight, in some serious crashes roads are closed for 24-48 hours for investigations.

Why????

Why does it take so long to take some measurements and photograph an area?
Why did they need to close the M7 due to an murder investigation NEAR it?
Why does it take so long?

I have seen the aftermath of serious crashes in several countries and disruption is always kept to a minimum, investigations are completed quickly and efficiently. Full forensic examinations are done as quickly as possible, so that traffic is not interrupted.

Why not in Ireland?

seven_eleven

Im sure investigations are done quite thorougly and efficiently in Ireland. Usually its only closed for a few hours. If its closed at night its probably because insufficient light to perform the investigation properly.
Its the same in other countries too.

One factor for Ireland is lack of personnel. Theres probably only a handfull of investigators for Ireland. Also, with the lack of General Emergency services the rescue and cleanup takes longer.

I think you're just being too pessimistic on Ireland.

Mikros

The roads are closed because someone has died or is seriously injured or a serious crime has taken place and an appropriate forensic investigation of the scene has to take place and evidence preserved. The length of time this takes depends on the complexity of the collision (e.g. the number of vehicles / how far the debris field is spread etc.) Also a trained investigator may have to travel for some distance to reach the scene if it is in a remote area.

If the collisions happens at night and the road is not a major route the road might remain closed until daylight as you can imagine it is much more difficult to examine an area at night. After the investigation is complete there may be a clean up required - removal of vehicles, treatment of fuel spills, making safe any damaged road signs etc. All this takes time.

24-48 hours is an exaggeration, most roads are reopened much faster than that. There is a lot of pressure not to keep roads closed for any longer than necessary but the priority is on completing whatever investigation is necessary (and rightly so).

How about considering why the road is closed and how your detour compares?

james142

You have posted this twice. Here and in After Hours.

goldie fish

I'm sorry that someones death has inconvenienced your journey.

Paulzx

james142 wrote: »

You have posted this twice. Here and in After Hours.

He's double troubled by it

Pappa Charlie

Considering the OP says he's located in spain it shouldnt bother him to often when the gardai close roads!

Tyron Jara

seven_eleven wrote: »

One factor for Ireland is lack of personnel.

Hit the nail on the head!!!!

OP do you think anyone likes road closures or to have to be outside measuring a road for hours upon end! Thats only the soft stuff never mind if its a serious collision. How about you think of the emergency personnel or people on that scene and how they would give anything to be stuck in traffic instead of were they are whatever the situation may be.

pa990

the emergency services would prefer not to be there investigating a death.. the road is closed only because it is absolutely necessary.

the closure involves manpower and the associated costs etc.. management don't want it closed either.

the road is closed as a matter of necessity.
if it was your family member involved in a fatal rtc, you would want everything possible done correctly.. I presume

Zambia

This week in melbourne north at midnight a car carrying 6 teenagers hit a wall at speed. The road was closed for 8 hours.

Hooch

And I'd rather not be knocked down at an RTC.......

Road closures are not just for proper and correct forensic collision investigation but it is also to make it safer for us to work at a scene. People are stupid, while passing RTCs they do stupid things......like stare at it and hit someone/something. Least we not forget our two colleagues in Foynes.

Lastly I refer you to Goldie Fishs post.

mayotom

Nobody has a problem with the road closures, its just the excessive periods of time that they close them for here.

james142

mayotom wrote: »

Nobody has a problem with the road closures, its just the excessive periods of time that they close them for here.

I have no problem with road closures. In fact, they rarely affect my travel.

I'm more the other bent, disgusted with people that would even bring it up as a complaint, or point to other juristictions as reasons to do so. Apples & oranges.

Iwannahurl

Highly detailed and painstaking examination of crash scenes (which are also potential crime scenes) is essential in order to gather data for forensic and research purposes.

http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/speed/contents.html