Motorists on the Dublin-Belfast road were today given a graphic reminder of the dangers faced by drivers on Irish roads. As part of a one-day road safety initiative gardaí placed the wreckage of a number of crashed cars on a stretch of road outside Dundalk.
The section of road has the worst accident rate in the country. The number of road deaths for the area rose from 10 to 57 in 2000. In comparison, many other regions saw a reduction in the number of fatalities.
The vehicles used in the display had all been involved in serious road traffic accidents. The gardaí said none of the vehicles used were involved in fatal accidents and all were given with the permission of the owners.
Gardaí said: "The aim of this one day exercise is to visibly bring home to motorists the vulnerability of motor cars when involved in an accident".
Last year 415 people were killed on Irish roads. The counties Louth and Meath accounted for 14 per cent of that figure.
Road fatalities per capita are higher in the republic than in Northern Ireland and double those of the UK.
