Four men were killed last night in a two-car crash on the main Dublin road north of Arklow, Co Wicklow. The accident, which brings to 20 the number of people killed on the roads since Saturday, happened shortly before 11 p.m. at Scratenagh, about four miles from Arklow. First reports suggested it was a head-on collision.
Three of the dead were young men, believed to be in their teens or early 20s, and were understood to be from the Arklow area. The driver of the other car was from Co Wexford.
All four were pronounced dead at the scene and their bodies removed to St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin. Neither car had any other occupants.
The car carrying the three young men was reported to have burst into flames on impact, while the other car may also have caught fire. Gardai said the crash happened on a relatively straight stretch of road and conditions appeared to have been normal.
Traffic was diverted for about two hours after the collision as the Garda, ambulance and fire brigade services attended to the scene. The names of the dead were withheld while relatives were being informed of the accident early this morning.
The crash followed the death in Dublin yesterday afternoon of an elderly woman who was struck by a lorry at Dublin Street, Balbriggan, Co Dublin. She was named as Maureen Vickers of St Peter and Paul's Crescent, Balbriggan.
The accidents were the latest in a series of road accidents which have raised questions about the effectiveness of the Garda's Operation Lifesaver campaign, which was introduced in the summer.
Twenty people have died on the roads since Saturday; eight at the weekend and a further 12 since Monday.
The roads death toll for 1997, at 358, is at a similar level to the first 10 months of last year. The Progressive Democrat senator Ms Mairin Quill described this level as unacceptable this week. She said the scenes of all accidents should be examined by officials from the Department of the Environment who would compile a report on all factors which led to their occurrence.
"A comprehensive picture can then be built up with a view to devising a new and effective initiative which will reverse the horrendous toll of deaths," she said.
The Garda Siochana said Operation Lifesaver had been achieving results even allowing for the upsurge in fatalities in October. Between July and October there was a reduction of 20 deaths compared to the same period in 1996.
Chief Supt John O'Brien of the Garda Traffic Bureau said the importance of the operation's criteria would be emphasised to all gardai "both in terms of enforcement and visibility". There would also be an appeal to the public to modify driving habits.
