Woman remains in critical condition after Kerry crash

A 20-YEAR-OLD woman, who was seriously injured in a car crash that claimed the life of a 25-year-old man, on Sunday, is still in a critical condition at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee.

John Joe Shanahan, of Ballymacquin, Abbeydorney, died in the single vehicle accident when the car in which they were travelling in struck a wall, just before 8am. The woman is also from the north Kerry area.

Both people were thrown from the car by the force of the impact, which occurred on a link road about 7kms from Ballyduff.

Mr Shanahan’s death brings to 19 the number of people killed on Kerry roads so far this year. There were 11 road deaths in Kerry last year.

Of the 19 killed so far this year, nine were men aged between 18 and 25; three were women aged between 18 and 25 and three were men in their early 30s.

Sinn Féin councillor Toireasa Ferris, who lives not far from the Shanahan family, said people were shocked by the tragedy.

She also called on gardaí to revisit their tactics in relation to road safety and said there should be more speed cameras on rural roads rather than on major routes.

While Ms Ferris said drink driving and speeding needed to be properly policed, she had reservations about random breath testing of drivers in the mornings.

She said people going out for a few drinks the previous night could have acted responsibly by getting a taxi home, but having some traces of alcohol in their blood when tested the following morning need not affect their ability to drive.