Don’t let teens drive the family car, parents told

PARENTS were last night warned against lending the family car to their teenage children as the most dangerous month on the roads gets into full swing.

Road safety chiefs issued the alert, saying July was traditionally the blackest month for deaths on Ireland’s 97,000km of roads.

Citing music festivals such as this weekend’s Oxegen spectacular in Co Kildare, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urged parents against allowing inexperienced drivers behind the wheel.

“As parents, taking a hard decision and not making a car available could prevent devastation and grief for your family,” said chief executive Noel Brett.

“Instead, satisfy yourself that your young person is accompanied by a properly qualified and responsible person. Don’t allow unsupervised driving or situations where your young person will be travelling with groups of peers.”

The RSA said parents should ensure their offspring are aware of the risks youngsters, both drivers and passengers, face in attending events where drugs and alcohol are consumed.

As of yesterday morning, 169 people had died on Ireland’s roads so far this year.

Last year, the figure for the same period was 202 — a drop of 33 deaths since the RSA started its major safety blitz.

Gardaí were given powers last year to compel motorists to undergo random breath tests, with the RSA saying the measure had helped cut deaths.

The latest garda figures show over the seven days to yesterday a total of 348 drink driving incidents were recorded compared to 376 the previous week.

Gardaí yesterday said they would continue their campaign against drink drivers as death figures consistently show July is the most dangerous on Ireland’s roads. Over the last 10 years, an average of 40 people have died every July, compared to 33 each June and 32 each August.

RSA researchers say the leap in deaths is owing to increasing numbers of motorists, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists using the roads for sporting, cultural and social events.

The increase in tourists from across Ireland and abroad — where motorists drive on the other side of the road — also contributes to the death toll.

Fine weather and increased daylight also bring more people onto the roads, the RSA says.

Last July, 39 people died on the roads compared to just 17 the month after, making last August one of the better months for road deaths in recent years.

“But behind these numbers lies unimaginable grief and anger at such a senseless loss of life and suffering,” said Mr Brett.

“Road users must take responsibility for their actions; individual behaviour determines who dies, is injured and whose families are devastated. We don’t want any more roads users to add to this toll of misery.”

Gardaí yesterday named two of the three people killed in road accidents on July 1.

Francis McGoldrick, 34, of Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, died in a smash at Cranaghan, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. Sean MacAogain, 56, of Abbeyfield, Killester, Dublin, died in an accident at Enfield, Co Meath.