SEVEN PEOPLE have died in the past three days following crashes on the Republic’s roads, including two motorcyclists and a woman injured in a collision nine days ago.
Their deaths bring to 143 the number of people killed on the roads this year in the Republic and confirm July as the most dangerous month for such fatalities.
Chairman of the Road Safety Authority Gay Byrne appealed to motorists to “for God’s sake, slow down, don’t drink and drive or drive when tired, and always wear your seat belt”. He also appealed to motorcyclists to be aware that summer is the most dangerous time on the roads.
The authority is preparing to run a television advertisement from August 1st aimed at motorcyclists. According to OECD figures, a motorcyclist is two to three times more likely to be killed in Ireland than in other European countries. Compulsory basic training for motorcyclists is to be introduced before the end of the year.
The weekend fatalities include a woman in her 50s who died on Saturday in hospital after she had been injured in a collision in Co Donegal on Sunday, July 12th.
Yesterday, a woman in her 30s died following a collision in Finglas, Dublin, at 12.40pm. A man and a child were taken to hospital.
On Sunday night, James O’Sullivan (50) died after he was knocked down close to his home in Fermoy, Co Cork, at 11.30pm.
A motorcyclist in his 40s died on Sunday morning in a head-on collision with a car at Aghalisk, Co Monaghan, while another motorcyclist in his 30s died on Saturday evening when he crashed while taking part in the annual Kells motorbike road races.
On Sunday evening a motorist in his 20s died when his car crashed at Ballydooley, Co Roscommon. Several hours earlier a motorist in his 40s died after his lorry crashed off the Cootehill to Ballybay road, Co Monaghan.