‘When in Doubt, Get Out’: AXA Roadshow warns Mayo students of road crash consequences

The annual AXA Roadsafe Roadshow was held today (Wednesday, April 15) in Castlebar’s TF Royal Theatre, with over 1,400 students in attendance.

This year’s theme focuses on the theme ‘Consequences’ and sets out to explore the real-life impact of dangerous behaviours on the road.

The initiative is organised annually by Mayo County Council’s Road Safety Office in partnership with AXA Insurance.  

Attendees received information on the effects of dangerous driving, including speeding, substance misuse, and distracted driving. The event outlined how such behaviours can affect drivers, passengers, and other road users.

The event featured a diverse panel of speakers, including Mick Comerford, Director at AXA; Frances Mitchell, Road Safety Officer with Mayo County Council; Inspector Dave Tiernan of An Garda Síochána; Dr. Lisa Cunningham, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Care; Hayley Coleman, a professional makeup artist and survivor of a crash that claimed the life of her best friend, who was driving; Myles O’Brien, owner of the Tavern Bar & Restaurant, who was left paralysed from the neck down following a motorcycle accident; Leo Lieghio of the Irish Road Victims’ Association; and Derek Walsh, a paramedic.

Speaking to The Mayo News at the AXA Roadsafe Roadshow, Dr Lisa Cunningham, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Care, expressed that young people are not invincible and may also become a statistic.

“There is no guarantee that you will not be one of these road traffic statistics. Whether it’s a fatality or an injury, behind that statistic is actually a family, friends and a life suffering that can go with that.

“And it’s not just about you - it’s about family, your friends that have to live with those consequences.”

Dr Lisa Cunningham further expressed that there are recurring trends among young people who are a part of these statistics.

“The biggest thing is the distractions that are in the car, whether that’s mobile phones, consoles in new cars, or other people in the car. We definitely see drink and drugs - and I can say this until I’m blue in the face - do not drive under the influence,” she added.

Myles O’Brien, who is the successful owner of the Tavern Bar & Restaurant and was left paralysed as a result of a road collision in 2023, says he attended AXA Roadsafe Roadshow ‘to try to put an old head on young shoulders.’

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“What I would like the show to do is show the effects of what speed has done to me and the effects it has had on my family.

“I hope at least one or two people who get behind the wheel of a car will remember that they’re driving a lethal weapon.” 

Providing a message to those who are between two minds after a night out about stepping into a vehicle as a driver under the influence or as a passenger to someone who is under the influence, Myles said: 

“All I can tell them is that the young people in the National Rehabilitation Hospital that I met, who are in wheelchairs as passengers or drivers, wish they had never got into that car.

“When in doubt, get out,” he added.

Hayley Coleman, a Professional Makeup Artist and survivor of a crash that claimed the life of her best friend, who was driving, expressed the importance of thinking before making choices - whether that be behind the wheel or as a passenger.

“It does have a rippling effect, not just on yourself, but on other people like family and friends. Before getting into that car, think - is this safe? Is there an option for me to get home? Call somebody. Don’t put yourself in that situation,” she added.

Leo Lieghio, a member of the Irish Road Victims’ Association and father of Marsia, who was tragically killed by a dangerous driver, stated the impact dangerous driving has had on his life. 

“A man who had previously lost his daughter arrived at our door a number of years back and said, ‘People are going to tell you time will heal, but I don’t believe it’, and he’s 100% right. The pain is always there; it never goes away,” he said.

According to the RSA, as of March 31 2026, there have been 39 fatalities on Irish roads. This represents 1 more death compared to the same period in 2025. 

Of the 39 fatalities in 2026, 16 were drivers, 11 were pedestrians, 9 were passengers, 2 were cyclists, and 1 was a motorcyclist. 

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