Irresponsible advertisement

THE Law Society’s cartoon-style advertisement (Irish Examiner, June 5) is misleading and irresponsible as it gives the impression road users have no responsibility for their own safety and property or that of others.

The advert stated “your solicitor is there to make life easier for you” in the event of a herd of cows suddenly appearing in front of you — with fatal consequences for one calf and the fender of your car — as if the driver has no liability whatsoever. This is not the case.

The Roads Act of 1993, Section 67, states there is a statutory duty on any person using a public road to take all reasonable measures to avoid damage to his own property or another person using the public road. In one case on this subject — McCaffrey v Lundy (1988) — the judge held the driver to be 25% responsible for his own losses because he was not driving with due care.