Who was Mary Ward: The Irish scientist at the front of new road safety campaign

Mary Ward was the first person in the world to be killed by a car, and it happened in Ireland. Picture: RSA.ie

The alarming rise in the number of deaths and collisions on Irish roads has seen the Road Safety Authority (RSA) launch a new awareness campaign.

Announcing the campaign on Tuesday, the RSA said it hoped to encourage all road users — drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians — to make one change to prevent further tragedy on the roads.

The “Who was Mary Ward? Vision Zero" campaign hopes to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads to zero by the year 2050.

Mary Ward has proven to be a significant figure in the history of road safety.

Ms Ward was a scientist and author who was born in Ferbane, Co Offaly, in 1827.

From an early age, she showed an interest in astronomy, which was helped by her cousin, William Parsons, who served as the president of the Royal Society in London when she was 21.

This allowed her to travel to meet many scientists and fellow astronomers  — opportunities which would not have been afforded to many women at the time.

However, in 1869, an experiment went disastrously wrong.

William Parsons' sons had built a steam-powered car and on August 31, 1869, Mary and her husband Henry Ward were travelling in it.

Approaching a bend at Parsonstown — now known as Birr — the car went out of control and Mary was thrown from it, dying when she broke her neck after she got caught under the wheels.

She is the first person in history known to have been killed by a motor vehicle.

The campaign launch comes amid a year which has, to date, seen 130 people lose their lives on Irish roads — 25 more than the total reported by this point last year.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers said the Vision Zero campaign was “achievable”.