FATALITIES The scene of a crash on the N60 Balla to Claremorris road at Facefield where two young men lost their lives earlier this month. Pic: Paul Mealey
Supt issues warning after spate of deadly crashes
Oisín McGovern and Anton McNulty
A SENIOR garda in Mayo has urged motorists to drive with increased care and attention as the number of deaths on the county’s roads increase.
The number of road fatalities in Mayo for 2023 currently stands at six following the death of a youth in his late teens and a man in his 40s, who were killed in separate road accidents in the Claremorris area over the past week.
The number of road deaths so far in 2023 has surpassed the total figure for 2022 and Superintendent Gabriel Moran reiterated the importance of motorists not taking chances while behind the wheel.
“We have had a lot of fatalities and five of those sit on my side of the county. First of all I want to express my sympathies to the families of all those who lost their lives this year in fatal road traffic collisions.
“It is important for people to drive within your capacity and be aware that the roads change and the speed limit is a limit it is not a target.
“Gardaí have identified over the years four contributors to serious and fatal collisions on the road. They are are speed, use of mobile phones, not wearing seat belts and driving while intoxicated. Those are the primary causes and garda across Mayo will be continuing to prioritise and enforce detections and deterrents of those offences over the course of the year in all we can in order to reduce fatalities and prevent a similar tragedy visiting the door of other families,” he said.
On Thursday February 16, Gardaí in Mayo attended the scene of a fatal single vehicle road traffic collision which occurred at 12.25am on the N60 at Ballygowan in Claremorris.
The driver of the van, who was in his 40s, later passed away from his injuries.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward and any road users with video footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to them. In particular, any road users who were in the area between the Claremorris Road and Ballygowan Bridge from 12am - 12.30am.
On Tuesday, February 14 at 12.50am, on the Ballindine to Irishtown Road (R328) Gardaí called to the scene of a serious single vehicle collision.
The driver, names locally as Jack Warde, from Knockatee, Dunmore, was seriously injured and passed away following the collision. A file will now be prepared for the coroner.
A female passenger, aged in her teens, was also injured during the course of this collision and is currently being treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Gardaí are appealing to those with camera footage (including motorists with dash-cam) who were travelling in the area between midnight and 1am to make this footage available to them.
Anyone with information pertaining to either incident is asked to contact Claremorris Garda Station 094 937 2080, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111 or any Garda station.