Six deaths on roads at weekend bring toll to 166

Six people died on the roads in the Republic over the weekend, bringing the death toll so far this year to 166.

The spate of fatalities occurred just days after a summer campaign by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urging drivers to be more cautious on the roads. It says July is traditionally the most dangerous of months for road deaths, with an average of about 40 deaths during this period each year.

A 16-year-old boy was among those who died at the weekend. The teenager was killed when he lost control of his car which crashed into a ditch near Cootehill, Co Cavan, on Saturday night. No other vehicle was involved.

Separately, Padraig McCluskey (36), of Littlemills, Dundalk, Co Louth, died near Hackballscross, Co Louth, when his Volkswagen Polo was struck by a Nissan Sunny carrying three people. A passenger in the Nissan suffered minor injuries, but the driver and another passenger fled the scene. Gardaí have appealed for them to come forward.

Gardaí also wish to speak to the occupants of a Northern Ireland registered Red Peugeot 306 which stopped at the scene but left soon afterwards.

Also in Co Louth, a 38-year-old Lithuanian man was killed in a crash in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Ernestas Rimkus, who had an address at Riverbank, Drogheda, died after he lost control of his car and struck a telegraph pole.

Another death in the early hours of Saturday morning was a 37-year-old man who was killed in a two-car collision on the Belgard Road in Tallaght.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the crash which involved a red Daewoo Lanus and a black Ford Focus. The man had to be cut free from the wreckage and died later while two women in the other car suffered only minor injuries.

The incident occurred close to Roadstone's social club premises at 12.20am. Witnesses have been asked to contact Clondalkin Garda station (01-666 7600).

Yesterday a male cyclist in his 50s was fatally injured when his bike collided with a parked car near Enfield, Co Meath, just after midday yesterday. He was rushed to James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, but later died from his injuries.

Also, a 30-year-old man died following a collision at Togher, Portlaoise, Co Laois, at about 3pm on Saturday afternoon. Damien Pelletier, of Rossvale, Portlaoise, was riding a motorcycle which crashed into a car towing a horse box. He died later in Portlaoise General Hospital.

Fatalities on the roads this year are down from 199 at the same stage last year. Last month's road deaths total was one of the lowest recorded in more than 20 years. The RSA's chairman Gay Byrne said he believed deaths were falling because people are driving more carefully and observing the rules of the road.