GARDAÍ HAVE APPEALED to road users to take extra care over the New Year period, after eight people died on Irish roads over Christmas.

There were 18 serious collisions on Irish roads between 20 December and 29 December, gardaí said, resulting in eight fatalities and 20 people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries. 

In total, there have been 15 fatalities on Irish roads so far this month.

Gardaí carried out over 2,500 checkpoints between 20 December and 29 December.

A total of 268 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

“Unfortunately and really disappointingly, 74 people alone were arrested this weekend [28-29 December] for driving whilst intoxicated,” Chief Superintendent in the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, Jane Humphries, said at a press conference in Dublin this morning. 

“That is an incredible risk that people are taking on our roads,” she said. 

If you have a collision on our roads whilst under the influence, it is no accident. It is a deliberate act that you have taken, and I think that drivers need to ask themselves the question, what does that say about you as a person?

Over 3,750 drivers were detected for speeding offences, while 550 vehicles were seized for a range of offences under the Road Traffic Act. 

“It’s important to remember that it’s not just excessive speed. Any speed is a danger. If you have a collision, that simply means that you are not able to stop on time, that you are not able to stop for an emergency,” Humphries said.  

To date this year, 178 people have lost their lives in road traffic collisions on Irish roads.

Humphries said the roads over the New Year period are “very busy”.

“People are now coming and going from family and friends. As we prepare to get back to work next week, it’s really important that you realise that we’re hitting a period of high risk on our roads, and that you take extra care and that you really do pay attention while you’re driving.”

Passengers should ‘call out’ driver behaviour

Humphries also encouraged passengers who are in a car being driven by someone showing “risky behaviour”, such as not looking at the road or using their phone, to “call them out”. 

“If you’re a passenger in a car of someone who is intoxicated, you have to call them out. Do not let them take that risk with your life and with others, because you are giving them permission to do so by getting into the car with them,” Humphries said. 

“It’s too serious a risk. If you drive whilst distracted, it’s the same as driving by blindfolded on the road,” she said.

“Sometimes people will say, rather than calling them out, you’re calling them in. You’re actually preventing them from causing that risk on the road, and it is difficult because you are talking about calling in your friends and family, and those are difficult conversations that we all need to have.”

She also said that it’s important that road users remember that driving a car is “probably the most dangerous thing that you will do”.

“You’re driving a ton of metal. Although you may think you’re well protected, reality has shown us that that’s not always the case.”

Fatalities

On 19 December, a male cyclist died after being struck by a lorry in Castleknock, Dublin 15. 

Derek Doyle, aged in his 50s, worked as an usher in Leinster House after he previously served in positions in the Defence Forces, the Ministerial Air Transport Service and the Irish Aer Corps. He was the husband of Fingal County councillor Tania Doyle.

On 21 December, 21-year-old Marguerita O’Rourke (née Sheridan) died in a hit-and-run incident in Rathkeale, Co Limerick. A man has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving causing her death.

On 22 December, a man in his 30s died following a single-vehicle collision in Moorock, Co Offaly.

On 26 December, a married couple were struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run incident Blanchardstown, Dublin. Georgina Hogg Moore (39) was pronounced dead at the scene while Anthony Hogg (40) was rushed to hospital, but died later that night. 

A man has appeared in court charged in connection with the incident. 

On 27 December, a pedestrian in her 70s died after being struck by a car while walking in Rathcrogue, Co Carlow.

A 57-year old man died on 27 December after being struck by a car in Navan, Co Meath.

On 29 December, a woman in her 80s died following a collision near Kilrush in Co Clare. The woman, who was the driver and sole occupant of one of the vehicles, was pronounced dead at the scene.

With reporting by Andrew Walsh