The wreckage of a dozen crashed cars greeted drivers along a quarter-mile stretch of the main Dublin-Belfast road north of Dundalk yesterday.
The display on the hard shoulder of the road was mounted by the gardai in a renewed attempt to curb the spiralling number of fatal and other serious road accidents, especially in the Louth-Meath area.
Last year 415 people were killed on Irish roads, 57 in the Louth-Meath area. Seven of those lives were lost within a half-mile radius of the scene of yesterday's display.
The main causes of these fatal accidents were speed, driving with excess alcohol, driver error or a combination of speed and alcohol. according to Insp Gerry O'Brien, head of the traffic corps in the Louth-Meath Garda Division.
"We're trying to bring home to people just how vulnerable they would be if their car was involved in a serious accident, especially if they weren't wearing a seat belt," he said.
All of the wrecks had been involved in serious accidents but no vehicles involved in fatal accidents were used.
During the five-hour operation members of the traffic corps slowed down traffic in the vicinity of the display, and handed out road safety leaflets.
The gardai also noted drivers' comments and views on road safety issues on specially prepared questionnaires.
The display was criticised by Dundalk Cllr Jim Cousins (PD) as "a show of Garda power unlikely to have any long-lasting effect on road safety.
"A designated highway patrol is needed on the roads day and night to curb accidents," he said.
Motorists who were stopped and surveyed felt the exercise was worthwhile and would encourage them to drive more safely for a while but they felt other measures were needed as well.