Road safety message targets August drivers

HOMES and offices will be inundated with motoring safety messages over the next fortnight in a bid to reduce road deaths.

The initiative, which involves An Post, will see more than seven million pieces of mail stamped with the postmark message Never Ever Drink & Drive.

By yesterday evening, 25 people had died on the roads in July, the lowest since 1994, when 28 people were killed.

The Road Safety Authority said the average fatality rate for July over the past 30 years was 40.

As the exodus begins for the bank holiday weekend, drivers are being warned to belt up, never get behind the wheel when tired and not to speed. Gardaí will launch a blitz over the weekend.

Extra gardaí will man Mandatory Alcohol Testing checkpoints over the weekend to target drink drivers.

Motorists were also asked to be aware of driver fatigue. Acting RSA chief Declan Naughton said: “The notion that turning up the volume on the radio, or opening the window cures you of tiredness are myths that need to be dispelled. They simply don’t work.

“If you are heading off on a long journey, take the time to plan the route and ensure that you allow for a break.

If you are fighting sleep at the wheel, stop driving immediately. Drink one or two strong cups of coffee or a stimulation drink containing caffeine and take a 15 to 20-minute nap” he said.

Since 2000, 162 people have been killed or seriously injured during the August bank holiday period.

Figures so far this year show that 165 people have been killed on the roads.