Two road deaths brings total to 141

TWO more deaths on the country’s roads in less than 24 hours has brought the total killed so far in 2009 to 141, which compares with 156 on the same date last year.

A 50-year-old father-of-four died less than 100 metres from his Co Cork home when he was struck by a car. James O’Sullivan was walking home from Fermoy when the accident occurred at about 11.25pm last Sunday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, near Grange Cross, by a local doctor and his body was taken to Cork University Hospital for a postmortem.

Mr O’Sullivan was a popular member of the community who spent all his working life at Grange Stud. All four of his children are aged under 16 and they, together with their mother, were being comforted by family and friends.

A Garda spokesman said they were appealing for anybody who had seen Mr O’Sullivan walking home to contact them.

The spokesman said this was a normal part of the investigation and such details would be needed for the file gardaí would prepare for an inquest. It is believed Mr O’Sullivan left a pub in Fermoy at around 11pm. “He was wearing a navy shirt, blue jeans and dark shoes. He had grey hair,” the Garda spokesman said. Anybody who saw Mr O’Sullivan is asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station at 025-82100.

Meanwhile yesterday afternoon, a woman in her 30s was killed in a two-car collision in Finglas. The incident happened at a junction between the Texaco Garage, Coolquay and the White House Pub on the N2 at about 12.40pm. A man and a child were brought to hospital but gardaí said their injuries were not life-threatening.

The deaths bring to six the number killed on roads since the start of the weekend with another Irishman being killed in a motorcycle accident in Greece. Road Safety Authority chairman Gay Byrne called the high number of deaths “unacceptable and frustrating”.

“As a country we simply have to take greater responsibility when we get behind the wheel or set foot on the roads. I am appealing to everybody to realise that life is precious and fragile. It is held in place by the thinnest of threads. So don’t risk it all because of a moment’s stupidity on the roads. For God’s sake slow down, don’t drink and drive or drive when tired and always wear your seat belt.”

Mr Byrne also had a message for motorcyclists, two of whom were killed over the weekend.

“If you are getting up on two wheels you need to know that summer time is the most dangerous time to use the roads. You have less protection than a car driver so you have to take extra precautions. That means wearing proper personal protection equipment, head to toe, and wearing a high visibility jacket.”