Warning of holiday road deaths

At least four people will die and more than 100 will be seriously injured in road accidents this May bank holiday weekend if a five-year trend is maintained.

Figures supplied by the National Safety Council reveal that in the last five years 22 people were killed and 516 people were injured on the May weekends.

The main contributory factors in road accidents generally are speed, not wearing seat belts and drink-driving.

With the number of drivers using the roads increasing on bank holiday weekends, so too do the risks that face road users, according to Alan Richardson, the council's acting chief executive.

"If we are more careful more often, there will be more of us alive to return to work, school or the family home safely after the bank holiday," he said.

While the likelihood of more road deaths this weekend is a statistical probability, the safety council noted that up until yesterday, the number of road deaths for this month at 18 will represent the lowest monthly total for five years if they are maintained.

NSC spokesman Brian Farrell said that high mortality rates were seasonal with greater numbers being killed in the summer, particularly July. This may be because the schools are out and greater socialising in the long evenings leading to increased levels of drink-driving.

This year the safety council is "throwing the kitchen sink at a campaign to heighten awareness of summertime drink-driving," Mr Farrell said. Details would be announced in advance of the June bank holiday weekend.

Meanwhile Garda enforcement this weekend will feature checkpoints on national primary routes, particularly at times of the day when there is greatest movement of traffic. Gardaí will also be visible on access routes to urban centres, with a particular emphasis on routes around pubs, according to a Garda spokesman.

A total of 118 people have died on the roads so far this year compared to 119 for the same period last year. Since the beginning of the year, 56 drivers, 23 passengers, 20 pedestrians, 15 motorcyclists and four pedal cyclists have died in accidents.