29 April 2010
78 Killed and seriously injured over May bank holiday period since 2005
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has today Thursday 29th April appealed to all road users to take extra care on the roads this May Bank Holiday, which is traditionally a high risk period on our roads.
Tragically a total of 28 people have been killed and 50 seriously injured in May Bank Holiday crashes since 2005.
Echoing the RSA’s safety appeal today, Minister for Transport, Mr Noel Dempsey TD said: "As we approach a busy bank holiday weekend, I want to remind everyone that the statistics on road deaths and injuries speak for themselves. Figures from the RSA show that Sunday is the most dangerous day of the week and that 49% of road deaths occurred at the weekend. We also know that the hours between 6pm and 8pm are the most treacherous. This weekend, I urge everyone (irrespective of the length of your journey) to please take care if you are driving, walking or cycling on our roads. Listen to the advice of the RSA and the Gardaí and obey warning road signs. Please remember, to slow down, always wear a seatbelt and never ever drink and drive.”
In addition to its general appeal to all road users to take care on the roads, the RSA is urging all drivers and their passengers to ensure they are wearing seatbelts on every journey, no matter how short. Research shows that over 1 in 5 rear seat passengers still do not belt up on a journey, placing not only themselves but other car occupants at risk in the event of a crash.
“Seatbelts are proven lifesavers” said Mr. Noel Brett, CEO, Road Safety Authority, “and without one, 3 out of 4 people will be killed or seriously injured in a 50 km/h head-on crash.”
“Belting up is also the law and drivers have a specific responsibility to ensure passengers (occupying either front or rear seats) who are aged under 17 to use a seatbelt or, an appropriate child restraint.”
To support its seatbelt message, the RSA will re-broadcast its hard hitting seatbelt advert entitled ‘Damage’ which was one of the most recalled and effective road safety adverts ever shown in Ireland.
Mr. Brett added that “Many people will be familiar with the storyline in the advert ‘Damage’. It features a collision in which a young man is sitting in the back seat of a car without his seatbelt. The resulting impact of the collision is played in slow motion and depicts the young man being thrown around the inside of the vehicle and hitting the other occupants. In the final scene, we hear from a paramedic who declares that ‘the guy in the back seat without the seatbelt did the damage.’”
He concluded that “‘Damage’ is still a very powerful advert and we felt there was real value in airing it again on television screens over the May Bank Holiday Weekend. We want to remind everyone of the important message that’s contained in the advert but to also introduce it to a new audience who have never seen the ad before. That message is simple - not using a seatbelt places yourself and others at risk - ‘No Seatbelt, No Excuse’.” For further information on seatbelt safety or road safety in general visit www.rsa.ie
Ends
For further information please contact
RSA Communications Department on 096 -25008
Editors Note
Table 1. Bank Holiday Casualties 2005 to 2009.
| Year |
Killed |
si |
KSI |
| 2005 |
8 |
10 |
18 |
| 2006 |
8 |
14 |
22 |
| 2007 |
6 |
7 |
13 |
| 2008 |
2 |
15 |
17 |
| 2009 |
4 |
4 |
8 (Provisional) |
| 2005-2009 |
28 |
50 |
78 |