TWO women in their 20s were killed in separate road crashes in counties Meath and Tipperary yesterday.
A woman in her 20s was killed when the car she was driving collided with an articulated lorry on the N24 near Kilsheelan in Co Tipperary last night.
The incident happened at about 9.50pm, a garda spokesman said. The victim, who was alone in the car, was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Clonmel Garda Station on 052 61 77640.
Separately, a 23-year-old woman died when the car she was driving crashed into a ditch in Co Meath early yesterday morning.
The incident happened at about 3.15am on the M51 at Curleyland, Athboy. Gardaí said the woman was killed when she lost control of the car and it hit a ditch.
The victim was alone in the car. Her body was removed to Navan General Hospital.
In Co Clare, meanwhile, a 26-year-old pregnant woman was left in a serious condition after a two-car collision. Two other people, including the teenage driver of one car, were also hospitalised after the crash.
It occurred shortly after 3pm yesterday in poor weather conditions on a hill at Knockalough on the R484 Kilmihil road, just a few hundred yards from the main N86 Ennis to Kilrush road.
The pregnant woman was travelling in a black Ford S-max with her mother, thought to be in her late 50s, when they collided with a grey Toyota Corolla which was being driven by a 19-year-old woman. The teenager, who was also injured but not seriously, had to be cut from her car by fire personnel using specialist cutting equipment. It is understood that the mother and daughter are from Clarecastle near Ennis while the 19-year-old is from west Clare.
The collision occurred on a hill near Knockalough Cross. The 26-year-old woman, who is 26-weeks pregnant, was the driver of the black Ford and sustained serious head injuries. She was treated at the scene before being brought by ambulance to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick. The woman’s mother was not seriously injured.
Three ambulances from Kilrush and Ennis were sent to the scene along with a rapid response advanced paramedic unit. Two units of the fire brigade from Kilrush also attended. All three patients were triaged at the scene before being taken to the Regional Hospital in Limerick. Patients usually bypass Ennis General Hospital and taken directly to Limerick following the introduction of a “major trauma bypass protocol” introduced last year.
The Toyota swung around at a 90 degree angle following the impact with both vehicles coming to a stop in the ditches.
Garda forensic crash investigators examined the scene before both cars were removed to Kilrush Garda station for further tests.
Gardaí at Kilrush are investigating the collision and have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them at 065-9080550.
On Saturday, a 25-year-old woman was killed instantly when the car she was driving went out of control and crashed on the Athenry to Galway road on Saturday. The crash happened at Gort na hAbhann late on Saturday night and the driver was named locally as Saffron Richie, who lives locally. Her older sister, who was travelling in the front passenger seat, received minor injuries.
A total of 146 people had died on the State’s roads up to last Thursday, 20 fewer deaths than at the same point last year.
Of the road users killed up to last Thursday, 77 were drivers, 23 pedestrians, 22 passengers, 20 motorcyclists and four pedal cyclists. The Garda and the Road Safety Authority last week publicised a "slow down for us" appeal, in which family members and friends were asked to remind drivers of the consequences for them, of dangerous driving.
However, bank holiday road deaths have fallen from 12 in 2000 to four last year.
Some 22 people were seriously injured over the August bank holiday weekend in 2000; nine in 2006; and 11 last year.