Gardaí dealing with a multi-vehicle collision in Dublin this week seized a motorist’s vehicle shortly after spotting him filming the crash scene.
The man was recording the aftermath of the incident on the M50 while emergency services “were trying to respond and urgently make sure that all were safe and uninjured,” the Garda said.
When gardaí went to speak with the driver, they found his van was untaxed. The vehicle was seized and he was issued with a fine.
“If you’re going to be brazen and unsafe, at least be smart. Please have more sense than this driver,” An Garda Síochána said in a social media post.
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Repeated pleas
Gardaí and other emergency services have repeatedly pleaded with people not to film the scenes of crashes and other tragedies, warning that it is disrespectful and may result in further crashes involving distracted motorists.
The force last week condemned the use of a drone to film the aftermath of a crash in Clonmel, Co Tipperary in which four young people were killed. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has open an investigation into the use of the drone which it described as an invasion of privacy and as posing a flight safety risk in the event of air support being required.
“I think it’s disrespectful to the families of the deceased, as well as to the first responders,” said Supt Kieran Ruane of Clonmel Garda station at of that incident.
“What I would ask is that footage taken by a drone be brought to the investigation team so we can assess it and I would ask our communities and nationally for people not to share such footage.”
