Crash inquest jury urges council survey

A jury of the Dublin City Coroner's Court has recommended that Fingal County Council carry out a survey of dangerous road bends…

A jury of the Dublin City Coroner's Court has recommended that Fingal County Council carry out a survey of dangerous road bends in its area following the death of four Bosnians in an accident at Balcunnin, near Skerries, last year.

Mr Sabit Ibrahimi (59), Mr Zijad Kobaslic (47), Ms Dika Dizdarevic (42) and Ms Fata Hota (54) were killed when the car in which they were travelling collided head-on with a lorry on a narrow road on September 18th, 2001.

All four were travelling from their homes in Blanchardstown to Rush where they worked on a farm, picking potatoes.

The driver of the lorry, Mr Brian McLoughlin, from Skerries, said he saw the car coming around a bend 40 yards ahead of him before the collision occurred.

READ MORE

He said he slowed his vehicle and pulled into the left-hand side but to his "amazement" the other driver appeared to take no evasive action.

"As far as I am concerned I am not responsible in any way for this accident as the other driver was travelling at speed in the middle of the road," said Mr McLoughlin.

Garda Stephen Keane said there appeared to be no road signs in the area but after the incident there were signs erected by the council, warning about the speed limit and the width of the road.

Returning verdicts of accidental death in each case, the jury also recommended that the coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, write to the council to recommend road markings and widening where the accident occurred, and to survey similar dangerous bends in its jurisdiction and to implement the survey's recommendations.