A senior garda last night criticised the use of "chicken-wire" to divide two lanes of a motorway in Co Louth which yesterday was the scene of an accident which claimed three lives and left another man fighting for his life. A fifth person was seriously injured. Elaine Keogh and Colman Cassidy report.
The three who died were named last night as Mr Gerard McLoughlin (22) from Ann Street , Ms Celine McArdle (21) from Boyle-O'Reilly Terrace, and Ms Elaine McGeough (22) from Barrack Street, all of Dundalk.
The accident happened on the Dunleer motorway eight miles north of Drogheda on the main Dublin-Derry road when a car went out of control and crossed the central reservation where it was struck by a van.
The Rover car, carrying two women and one man, was heading south when, just after 2 p.m., it travelled sideways through the hedging and wire fence on the central reservation dividing the motorway lanes. It was struck by the van, which had been travelling in the outside lane of the motorway. The driver of the car and the two female passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.
It took the fire service from Drogheda an hour to cut free the driver of the van. His injuries were said to be life-threatening. The passenger was also said to be in a serious condition.
Insp Gerry O'Brien, who is in charge of the traffic corps in the Louth-Meath Garda division, said he had raised his concerns about the use of what he termed chicken-wire in the central reservation with both the National Roads Authority and Louth County Council.
"My concern about it is exactly what has happened here today. It is dividing two carriageways and the reality is it was regulation when this road was constructed," he said.
However, Insp O'Brien, who went to the scene, added: "It is quite unusual for an accident to happen on a motorway, which are generally perceived to be safer."
The use of hedging and wire instead of crash barriers as well as the type of barrier used on motorways in Louth were raised by a county councillor, Mr Terry Brennan, nearly two years ago. Last night he said this was an accident that could have been avoided.
"The barriers on that motorway are not up to European standard, and a system that could have withstood the impact of a vehicle should have been used."
Chicken-wire on motorways was never intended to act as a crash barrier, according to the National Roads Authority.
Chicken-wire "barriers" were common on extensive sections of the M50 and M1 motorways, but were gradually being replaced with crash barriers. The work should be completed within two years or at least within a reasonable period, the NRA spokesman added.
Based on experience in the US and elsewhere, it was accepted that a central median area of about eight or nine metres between carriageways was particularly suitable as a safety measure.
There had been debate about whether barriers would increase or lessen the risk of death or injury, he said. There was always the possibility that traffic striking them would rebound into their own carriageway. On balance, it was decided crash barriers would provide the best safety solution.