Road deaths - A crucial message

Despite 19 fatalities on the roads of Kerry last year, Kerry County Council is terminating the services of its one and only road safety education officer as part of its budgetary cutbacks. The officer has been involved in promoting road safety among young people, especially through schools.

A council spokesman contends that available funding is being directed to provide “a safe network for our road users”.

Some 21% of the people killed on Kerry roads were motorcyclists, mainly young men. Ironically, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is stepping up its campaign in conjunction with Kildare County Council by appealing to young people attending the Oxegen Festival.

Those young people are to be bombarded with messages stressing road safety through a radio campaign on youth oriented stations, and with billboards featuring young people who died in Co Kildare crashes in recent years, as well as with mobile billboards during breaks between the headline acts at the festival.

This clearly recognises the importance of safety education for young road users. It is a message that must be brought home.