Call for local authorities to act as four die on roads

ROAD accidents have claimed four more lives so far this bank holiday weekend.

The latest spate of deaths has prompted Fine Gael to call for local authorities to survey the conditions of all roads once a year to help identify stretches that might pose a risk to motorists.

The most recent fatality happened at 5.30am yesterday, when a car driven by a man in his ’30s hit a tree at Glenvar Park in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

Also in the early hours of yesterday morning, a 20-year-old man died when the car he was driving crashed with another car near Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary. He was named last night as Daniel Mahon from Kilvemnon, Mullinahone, Co Tipperary.

In Co Kilkenny, a 42-year-old motorcyclist died when his bike hit a ditch on the road between Bennettsbridge and Thomastown, at teatime on Saturday. He was named by gardaí as James Lee from, Kilree, Bennettsbridge.

Gardaí have also named a 95-year-old man who died in a crash between his car and a JCB in Coole, Co Westmeath, on Friday evening as John Clarke from Lismacaffrey, Co Westmeath.

Elsewhere, a Co Mayo community was hit by tragedy in the early hours yesterday, when a local GAA player drowned after he and a friend took a punt, which overturned, onto the River Moy in Ballina. The other man swam to safety but 25-year-old Aidan McDonnell from Kilfian, Co Mayo, got into difficulty and his body was recovered by divers three hours later.

The weekend road fatalities bring the death toll for the year so far to 175.

Ahead of the fifth anniversary of an accident which claimed the life of a 22-year-old Co Donegal woman, Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins has written to the Health and Safety Authority to ask why it has not fully investigated the circumstances.

He said there is clear evidence that loose chippings left on the road created a major traffic hazard and that there was inadequate warning signage on the road where 22-year-old Sinead McDaid’s car skidded and plunged over a grass embankment.

Her father Sean Farren began legal action against the gardaí and Donegal County Council in relation to the matter last year and a fresh garda inquiry was ordered five months ago.

Fine Gael road safety spokesman Shane McEntee last night called for an annual road safety audit to address poor conditions as European research has shown that almost one third of fatal road accidents are caused by poor surfaces. Under his proposals, local authorities would be required to address any maintenance problems highlighted in such a survey.

“The publication of the Road Traffic Bill and proposals such as random breath testing and a nationwide roll-out of speed cameras are welcome, but the dangerous condition of roads throughout the country is the forgotten factor,” he said.

“County councils and the National Roads Authority have a duty of care to those using the new motorways, but also to motorists travelling on our badly neglected country roads,” Mr McEntee said.