Road deaths should not be called ‘accidents,’ Donegal doctor says

Road deaths should not be called ‘accidents’ but referred to as driver behaviour incidents, a consultant in emergency medicine has said.

Dr Gerry Lane, who works at Letterkenny Hospital, says that Ireland's road death figures are 50 per cent higher than both the UK and the Netherlands.

“Most road deaths are due to human behaviour,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.

“I have seen drivers looking down at their mobile phones while overtaking me on the road.

“There has to be recognition that road accidents are not ‘an act of God’ and that there is a requirement to educate drivers how to avoid collisions.”

Dr Lane was speaking about Project EDWARD (European Day Without A Road Death) which is taking place today.

He said it had been a long time since there was a day without any road deaths in Europe.

When asked about the factors that cause such high numbers of road deaths in Donegal, where he is based, he acknowledged it was a number of factors including alcohol, the phenomenon of boy racers and speed. He also cited the lack of public transport.

“I honestly don’t know why the figures are so high for Donegal. People behave very oddly in their cars. But this is not just an issue for Donegal it is an issue for the entire country.”

Chief Supt Aidan Reid, of the Garda National Traffic Bureau told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that there will be "high visibility enforcement activity" today in a bid to avoid road deaths.

He encouraged motorists to log on to the website tispol.org for further information and safe driving suggestions.