The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has called for motorists to take more care following the deaths of five people in four separate road crashes in Kilkenny, Galway and Dublin yesterday over a 24-hour period.
"These road deaths serve as a reminder that travelling on the roads is one of the most dangerous things we do every day," said Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority.
Among those who died was Vanessa McGarry, the wife of the Kilkenny county hurling goalkeeper James McGarry. The couple married only last Christmas. Ms McGarry (31) was one of two women who died following a three-vehicle crash on the N9 Dublin to Waterford road near Thomastown, Co Kilkenny about 9am yesterday morning.
The other woman was named as Mary Lonergan (49), of Kellymount, Paulstown, Co Kilkenny.
Three others, a man, woman and a girl, were seriously injured in the collision. All three were said to be in a stable condition last night.
The crash occurred on a sweeping bend three kilometres south of Thomastown and it involved an articulated truck, a Jeep and another vehicle.
Regional Garda Traffic inspector, Supt Pat Ward said: "It was a very, very bad accident. This is one of the worst accidents that has occurred in this area for a long time."
Traffic diversions were put in place to allow for the closure of the N9 to permit Garda forensic investigators to discover the cause of the crash. Considerable traffic delays were reported on the diverted routes around Kilkenny city before the road reopened at about 7pm.
Gardaí in Dublin who are investigating a fatal road traffic collision which happened in Donnybrook at about 7.45am yesterday have appealed for witnesses.
A 37-year-old foreign national was seriously injured when the motorbike he was travelling on collided with a car on the Merrion Road.
He was removed to St Vincent's hospital where he later died. The driver and sole occupant of the car was not injured.
Another man died in Dublin following a collision on Whitefriar Street. The man was a pedestrian who was hit by a truck at about 10am yesterday. His identity will not be released until his family has been informed.
An 18-year-old motorist also died after the car he was driving crashed into a tree at Clonbrock, on the Ahascragh to Caltra road in Co Galway, at about 6am yesterday.
Diversions were put in place for several hours to allow an emergency team investigate the crash scene.
The RSA said July is the most dangerous month on Irish roads with on average 40 fatalities, which is 10 more than in other months.
"This rise in road deaths in July can be attributed to a number of things like holidays, extra traffic on the roads from nationals and tourists, young people on holidays being on the roads and perhaps the summer spirit makes people a little more relaxed about their driving," Mr Farrell said.
"A fatal crash can happen in the blink of an eye and road safety is about all of us taking responsibility and remembering that we share the roads with other people," he added.
