A motorcyclist who was seriously injured in a collision which killed Garda Kevin Flatley (49) on Sunday has improved slightly.
The roads policing garda was killed when he was struck by a motorcycle near Lanestown in north Dublin. The father of two was conducting a routine speed check when the collision occurred.
The motorcyclist was thrown from the bike and suffered life-threatening injuries, including to his head. Passersby administered first aid and he was taken by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital, where he remains.
The man, who is aged in his 30s, remains in a very serious condition but doctors believe he will survive, sources said. However, it will be some time before investigators will be able to take a statement from him.
Gardaí in Santry have obtained a large quantity of CCTV and dashcam footage of the road immediately before the collision. Footage from a CCTV camera on a nearby petrol station will form a key part of the investigation, sources say.
The Garda is also planning to conduct a review of checkpoint procedures to identify any changes which may be required to safety policies.
Garda Flatley had parked his official jeep by the side of the R132 at Lissenhall near Swords on Sunday morning and was operating a speed gun by the roadside.
It is understood at 12.50pm he detected a motorcycle was breaking the 80km/h speed limit on the road and went to flag it down when the collision occurred.
The powerful Yamaha R1 1,000cc motorbike travelled for a significant distance following the collision and came to a rest on the opposite side of the road.
The death of Garda Flatley came after a spate of incidents in which gardaí were injured on traffic duty.
In the early hours of the morning of May 2nd, a garda on duty in Ardee, Co Louth, approached a suspicious-looking van that suddenly accelerated and hit him before leaving the scene.
The garda suffered broken bones and required surgery. A man was later arrested.
Earlier last week an on-duty garda was injured when he was hit by a car. Last Friday, another garda suffered a broken leg in Coolock, Co Dublin, when hit by a motorcycle. A suspect was arrested shortly afterwards.
Last year, 70 gardaí were injured in road-traffic collisions, the second most common injury category after assaults.
While road safety operations are inherently risky, several safety measures are put in place. Road policing gardaí undergo out-of-vehicle safety training, while risk assessments are conducted before a checkpoint is established at a location.
The Garda’s newer speed guns also allow members to detect speeding at a greater distance, meaning they can stay farther back from traffic. However, gardaí often have to step closer to traffic to flag down motorists they have detected speeding.
An incident review is to take place alongside the Garda investigation into Garda Flatley’s death. It is likely to focus on the risk faced by gardaí conducting roadside speed checkpoints.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, who said the incident calls for a “real reset and rethink about our approach as society to road safety”, joined colleagues and family members of Garda Flatley at a private service in Dublin Castle on Monday evening.
Gardaí are continuing to appeal for information about Sunday’s collision, including any information or footage relating to the movements of the motorcycle in the hour before the fatality.
