Numbers killed on roads set to pass last year’s total
Responding to another weekend during which four people were killed Brian Farrell said: “We now just four deaths away from last year’s total of 336. We don’t want to see any more deaths but it is now almost inevitable that we will pass last year’s total.”
A 19-year-old man was killed when his car struck a wall at about 3am on Saturday morning at Pike Farm, Kilmallock Road, Charleville, Co Cork. He was the sole occupant of the car.
Gardaí said the young man’s family had requested that his name would not be released.
An elderly man died in another single car collision on the N4 near Ballinalack, Co Longford just after midday on Saturday.
He was Joseph McStay , 74, from Beech Park Drive, Foxrock, Dublin. His car went out of control and crashed into a field, overturning in the process.
Gardai have named 22-year-old Padraig Tydings of Urlee, Lisselton, Co Kerry, who was killed in a car accident at Ahimma, Ballybunion, Co Kerry, shortly before 1am on Sunday.
The accident occurred when the driver of the car lost control and the vehicle overturned. Both the male driver and front seat passenger, also in their 20s, were injured and taken to Kerry General Hospital where their condition was described as comfortable yesterday.
Shortly after 4.30am on Sunday morning, a 26-year-old man was killed when his car, in which he was the sole occupant went out of control and struck a wall in Costello. He was named as Michael Lynch from Carraroe, Co Galway.
Mr Farrell pointed out that the Department of Transport was now investigating why there was such a high number of single vehicle crashes involving young males.
“It is fair to say, however, that seven out of 10 people killed on our roads are male and six out of 10 who die in road accidents are killed on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. That is the pattern that is repeated year on year,” he said.
Meanwhile, a one-year-old girl was killed when the car in which she was travelling collided with another vehicle on the Mullaghead Road in Co Armagh, shortly after 8pm on Saturday.
