Three more die as road carnage grows
Accidents in counties Cork, Kerry and Mayo brought to 228 the number of people who have died on the roads this year. Ten alone died at the weekend.
Among the grim toll was a biker who died in hospital after she lost control of her machine in Laois on Sunday afternoon.
The Road Safety Authority said the new penalty points could yet see a change in driver-behaviour, which is a factor in 92% of fatal road accidents.
Spokesman Brian Farrell said: “When penalty points were first introduced in 2002 we managed to bring (the annual death rate) down to 335 in 2003.
“Unfortunately that has slipped back up because people realised it was not backed-up by an effective enforcement system and was only for four offences.
“Certainly what we need to do is re-instil that culture of compliance among the public to force them to take more care on the roads.
“With the new road traffic bill and new enforcement measures we hope will see dramatic changes in road behaviour.”
Yesterday the latest road accident victims were named.
Patrick Walsh, aged 31, of Waterville, Kerry, died after the four-wheel-drive vehicle he was in collided with a tractor carrying turf at Mountain Stage, between Glenbeigh and Caherciveen.
Both vehicles were travelling towards Glenbeigh and the accident occurred just before 8am yesterday on a relatively straight stretch of the busy Ring of Kerry road.
The road remained closed until 1.30 pm and traffic, including dozens of tourist coaches, was diverted.
The 4WD driver was understood to be the deceased’s 29-year-old brother. He was taken to Kerry General Hospital but his injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
The tractor driver suffered minor injuries while a truck travelling in the opposite direction was caught up in the accident in a minor way, according to gardaí.
Witnesses are asked to contact officers in Caherciveen on 066-9473600.
Earlier yesterday in Co Mayo a 33-year-old man, Angelo Forcina, of Westport, died in a two-car collision at 12.30am at Westport.
At 8am the same day Co Cork teenager Killian O’Driscoll died when the car he was driving went out of control at Garranes, Schull. He was 19 and from Fern Lodge, Archangels, Schull.
The woman who died in Crettyard, Laois, following a bike accident on Sunday was named as 49-year-old Rose Conroy, of Stradbally, Laois.
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