Irishman killed by truck in Japan

A LORRY driver has been arrested in Japan after leaving the scene of an accident in which a Cork man died.

Alan Buckley, who taught English to students in the Tomioka region of the Asian country, was struck by a truck either late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning.

The body of the 32-year-old from Wilton was found on Sunday lying in the middle of a road on Honshu Island.

He was rushed to hospital but was declared dead a short time later.

Reports in Japan quote police as saying the 63-year-old suspect, Masami Wakabayashi, admitted to the allegations, saying he fled because he was scared.

Mr Buckley had been teaching English at two primary schools and one secondary school under the Japan Exchange and Teaching programme since July last year.

“He was really trying to connect to Japan, was studying hiragana and kanji very hard, and was popular with the students. It is very sad,” said Kenji Saito, vice-principal of one of the schools, Nishi Junior High School in Tomioka.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said Mr Buckley’s body is to be brought back to Ireland and that officials are liaising with his family.

Faye and Alanna McEntaggart from Rathbeggan School, Joe Connolly from Gaelscoil Na Rithel and Rachel O’Brien from St Patrick’s Loreto School, Bray, Co Wicklow, model high-visibility vests given to children in a road safety campaign. Picture: PA

High visibility vests for childrenheading to school

by Kerrie Kennedy

THIS school term will see the brightest youngsters yet heading to class as some 80,000 high visibility vests are to be distributed to every child starting school for the first time.

The initiative, sponsored by the ESB, is part of the Road Safety Authority’s (RSA) back to school campaign, which reminds parents, guardians and teachers to make road safety a priority in their back-to-school plans.

Provisional figures released by the RSA estimate seven children under the age of 15 were killed while walking on Irish roads in 2009, with another three children killed in the first half of this year.

In 2008, eight children were killed while walking on the roads.

“Children are the most vulnerable of our road users, so it is really important they are streetwise about road safety,” said RSA chief executive Noel Brett.

He added that it is vital for parents and guardians to make a real effort to demonstrate good road safety at all times to their children.

“Children will learn from your example, so if your child walks or cycles to school, take them on the route in advance and make sure they know where they are going.

“If they travel by car or bus, make sure they know how important it is to put their seatbelt on at all times.”

The RSA has estimated about 110,000 primary schoolchildren will be walking on our roads by September.