Man dies after New Year’s Day crash
As the dangerous road conditions continue to affect travel throughout the country, the first road traffic fatality of the year occurred on Saturday, when a man involved in a single vehicle accident in Co Limerick in the early hours of New Year’s Day passed away in hospital.
In a separate incident yesterday three men in their early 20s were hospitalised after a single vehicle accident near the village of Clara, also known as the Fox and Goose, in Co Kilkenny on the main Carlow-Kilkenny N9 road, where road conditions were treacherous. One of the passengers in the car was in a critical condition in St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny last night. The two other occupants of the car were in a stable condition yesterday.
Meteorologists have predicted that the freezing temperatures that have gripped the country are to continue for another three days at least, with the midlands the worst affected area yesterday.
However, icy roads and treacherous travelling conditions are a common feature across the whole country, with Gardaí warning motorists in particular to take extreme care when driving on secondary routes.
Gardaí are investigating if road conditions may have been a factor in the crash which claimed the life of Noel Hayes of Shanagolden in Co Limerick.
The 25-year-old died on Saturday afternoon in Limerick Regional Hospital after he had been taken there following a crash at 2.45am on New Year’s Day. The incident took place on a minor road in Finnoe, near Ballyhahill.
Meanwhile, responding to continuing criticism regarding a shortage of road-gritting materials for icy roads, the National Roads Authority said yesterday that 19,300 tons of salted grit would be delivered in the coming days.
