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Dublin: 19 °C Wednesday 19 June, 2013

Motorists urged to take extra care on roads over bank holiday weekend

Garda tips for travelling over the holiday weekend.

Image: Photocall Ireland

GARDAÍ ARE URGING motorists to take care on the roads over the bank holiday weekend.

Last year, four people were killed on Irish roads over the bank holiday weekend and nine others were seriously injured.

Gardaí are calling on people to reduce their speed, always wear seatbelts and make sure they are well-rested before setting out on a journey.

They are also sending a general message reminding people to never drink and drive and say motorists should drive according to road conditions at the time. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists should all also take due care on the roads.

“We must be mindful that any mistake on the road can lead to very serious consequences for all involved,” Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Mahoney said.

Given the volume of traffic expected on the roads this weekend, O’Mahoney says anyone travelling should expect their journey time to increase:

We therefore appeal to all that are travelling on long distances to leave in plenty of time, plan their route, take their time and be well rested before setting out on their journey.

As we have seen recently, weather conditions can deteriorate significantly. Please reflect this in your driving. Slowing down is the safest way to deal with any weather or road hazard.

Noel Brett, CEO of the Road Safety Authority, also urged people to take care on the roads to prevent further suffering through loss of life:

Take care on the road, if you are driving wear your seatbelt, slow down and never ever drink and drive. Watch out for motorcyclists, cyclists and people out walking on the road. In particular, I would appeal to drivers to allow plenty of space when overtaking or passing cyclists on the road. Of course motorcyclists, cyclists and walkers should stay safe by wearing a high visibility jacket.

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Comments (7 Comments)

  • Will Gay Byrne be wearing his seat belt?

    Reply
    • Conor. Referring to YouTube video of Gay Byrne chairman of the Road Safety Authority caught not wearing seat belt? What a great example Always wondered did he get a fine like the rest of us would have.

      Reply
  • I was planning on driving like a lunatic until I read this article. Thanks for the tips, RSA!

    Reply
  • I hope im proven wrong this bank holiday weekend…but theres a number of people out and about this lovely fri evening right now who will be dead by monday…please stay alert while driving and turn off your fone..

    Reply
  • Agreed ‘Sean Herbert’!

    Why, why do RSA and the Gardai have to remind motorists to take care every bank holiday weekend? It really angers me, if a motorist is not taking care and does not know the rules, they shouldn’t be driving! Yes, there are idiots on the road, but they’re there all the time, it’s the gardai that should be taking their licences away, every day, every weekend!

    Open up jobs for ‘reserve’ gardai to be watching out for these idiots, to patrol towns, country areas where Shatter is closing down garda stations. If they employed people with full clean licences that have found themselves unemployed of late, it would not cost that much to train and give a decent wage to keep roads and people in their homes safe.

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  • I would have thought the days of the bank holiday run around was well and truly over given the price of fuel…oh yes no doubt the government will claim success for the drop in road accidents ….doh!

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  • Ah yes more taxes disguised as safety. Remember the reason the roads are more dangerous at long weekends has nothing to do with speeding drinking or anything other than any clown with a license is on the road & in turn driving standards fall through the floor. Its mostly professional drivers that accumilate points on long weekends simply because of shooting fish in a barrel. So bear in your professional driver working on a long weekend its just another work day to them.

    Reply

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