MOTORISTS HAVE been urged to take responsibility for their actions over the Christmas season and consider the consequences of reckless behaviour on the roads.
The Road Safety Authority said 18 people were killed or seriously injured on the roads last Christmas and that 271 families had already been bereaved this year.
In a Christmas statement, the authority called on motorists to leave the keys at home if they intend to drink, avoid driving when fatigued and to be certain their vehicles are serviced and safe for use in poor weather.
“Let’s ensure that no more families are left grieving and that this Christmas is a safe one for all road users,” authority chief executive Noel Brett said.
“If you have someone in your family or network of friends whom you know to be a drink or drug driver . . . do your best to encourage them to change their behaviour. A short chat today might just prevent a lifetime of recrimination,” he added.
Mr Brett also urged pedestrians and cyclists to make sure that they can be clearly seen on the roads, particularly if they are travelling on country roads late at night or early in the morning.
Meanwhile, the parents of a 15-year-old girl killed by a drunkdriver as she walked home from Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve have pleaded with people not to drink and drive. Sharon Gregory was killed in 1994 when a motorist lost control of his car and crashed into her just metres from her home in Drogheda, Co Louth.
Her parents, Úna and Tony, say the painful memory of her lying in a coffin beside the Christmas tree lives with them still, and they pleaded with motorists not to cause “unnecessary” deaths.
“Please think before you go into a car. It is a lethal weapon in your hands; the trauma is for the rest of peoples lives,” they said.