Tullamore Rotary Club launches road safety initiative

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan told a gathering of students in Tullamore last week that road safety remains ”a national priority” and urged them to take the issue “very seriously” both as passengers and future drivers.

The Minister made his remarks at a very impactful 'Be Safe, Be Seen' road safety initiative organised by Tullamore Rotary Club, and sponsored by Tullamore Credit Union, which is held on an annual basis and is aimed at reducing serious accidents among young drivers.

Launched at Tullamore College on Friday of last week, this year's event featured a dramatic reenactment of a car crash scene and heard heartfelt testimonies from a number of experts on the devastating impact of road traffic accidents on individuals and families around the country.

Taking place in the same week that five young people, all under the ages of 25, lost their lives in a horrific crash in county Louth, the Tullamore Rotary Club's road safety initiative was particularly poignant, with many speakers at the event warning the young students present of the twin dangers of speeding and lack of concentration.

Tullamore Rotary Club president David Gleeson, who also heads up local business Allpro Recruitment, highlighted the heightened risks facing young drivers, pointing to the fact that statistics show young people are “more vulnerable to serious outcomes” on the road. He warned that “speed and distraction - especially mobile phone use - are major contributory factors to road accidents and told the students present at the event that while “it’s okay to miss a call, it’s definitely not okay to miss the rest of your life.”

Reflecting on the tragic loss of five young lives in the county Louth crash in the same week as the launch of the Rotary Club's road safety initiative, Mr Gleeson added that “when you add up the years of potential lost, you’re talking about 275 years of life that should have been lived.”

Principal of Tullamore College Edward McEvoy warned first year students in attendance from Tullamore College, Ard Scoil Chiaráin Clara and Coláiste Naomh Cormac of the dangers of speed.

“I would ask you to remember when you are older and when you start driving that you are not invincible. I would ask you to slow down to give yourself, your passengers and other road users a chance, a chance to avoid serious injury or death.”

He told the attendees that following a high-speed collision six years ago, he and his wife both had to be cut out of the car and brought to hospital.

“It was a serious accident which had devastating consequences for the people involved, the driver of the car who struck us died in the accident and my wife was rendered partially paralysed and confined to a wheelchair.”

Mr McEvoy thanked the emergency services, the fire service, the ambulance service and the staff of Tullamore Hospital for the skill, professionalism and the care they showed.

“The one thing that I would like the students to learn from our experience is the danger of speed. The most important skill in driving safely is anticipation – looking ahead, being alert as to what might happen and being ready to slow down in advance.

“In the accident in which we were involved, a hail shower on one part of the road caused hazardous conditions and a number of drivers coming from the Galway direction did not slow down in time and there were three separate accidents in the same place on that day.”

The instrumental work of past Rotary members, the late Albert Fitzgerald and the late Paddy Dunican, in bringing the road safety message to young people in the local community as part of their annual 'Be Safe, Be Seen' road safety event was recalled by Deputy Tony McCormack, who is a past president of the local Rotary Club.

Deputy John Clendennen also attended the launch, as did Kildare TD, Naoise O'Cearuil, who commended the Rotary Club’s commitment to educating young people on the dangers faced on Irish roads.

Speaking about their continued sponsorship of the 'Be Safe, Be Seen' road safety initiative, Tullamore Credit Union's Caroline Collins Murphy said that, as a community-focused organisation, they were “proud to support” the event.

“Road safety education, especially among our youngest citizens, is absolutely vital, and by helping to raise awareness about the dangers of travelling on dark winter mornings and evenings, we are investing not only in the safety of our children today but in the well-being of our entire community tomorrow,” she said.

A full emergency-response demonstration also took place on the school grounds, involving Order of Malta volunteers; Offaly Fire & Rescue teams and volunteers portraying the injured parties at the simulated accident scene.