Bank holiday road safety message from garda

John Mulligan, Regional Traffic Superintendent, South Eastern Region, has issued a road safety message ahead of the June Bank Holiday Weekend.

In January of this year we asked for your help in reducing deaths and injuries on the roads of the South Eastern Region - counties Kilkenny, Carlow, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.

Today - 28th May 2015 - together we have reduced road deaths by twelve on last year.  This is a significant reduction and all road users are to be congratulated.  However, we need to keep up the good work.

While An Garda Síochána in the South Eastern region is committed to achieving a further reduction in these numbers throughout 2015, this can only be achieved with the collaboration and cooperation of all road users, statutory agencies and individuals.

The primary causes of fatalities remain excessive or inappropriate speed, alcohol use and the non-wearing of seatbelts.  I must urge people not to use mobile phones while driving to make or receive calls or text messages.  Momentary loss of concentration can have fatal consequences for drivers and passengers in all vehicles, and also other road users including cyclists and pedestrians.  While some of the fatal and serious injury collisions were undoubtedly caused by unusual circumstances, all of us are aware that reckless, careless, inconsiderate and poor drivers are contributing factors.  75% of the fatal collisions in the South Eastern Region occurred where the speed limit was 80km/h or less. 

Garda enforcement for 2015 across the South East will increase in each of the key Lifesaver Offence categories of drink driving, speeding, mobile phone use and non-wearing of seatbelts. 

The June Bank Holiday Weekend is a particularly dangerous weekend with high traffic volumes on the roads. On this weekend in 2014, 23 people were arrested for drink driving, 612 speeding offences were detected; 19 no-seatbelt offences were detected and 27 use of mobile phone while driving offences were detected.

I would ask everyone to save lives this weekend by reducing speed and to always drive at a speed appropriate to all the prevailing conditions.  An Garda Síochána will play its part through enforcement, targeted operations at specific locations of high danger, education, and through advice and communication to all our citizens. 

I urge each and every one of you to play your part in reducing the tragedy that road fatalities and serious injury collisions bring upon families in the South Eastern Region.  Please be conscious that road safety is everyone’s business and responsibility each time you use the roads.  Remember - stay safe, slow down, never drink & drive, wear your seatbelt and don’t use your mobile phone while driving. Let us continue to strive to ensure that 2015 is a safer year on roads in the South Eastern region.