Sligo crash brings road deaths to 155 — same total as the whole of 2022
Wednesday's Is Crash Traffic Place The Currently Road Took Closed Where To
A man's death in Sligo in a crash involving an e-scooter and a van on Wednesday night means the same number of people have died on the country's roads in 2023 so far as in the whole of last year.
The man in his 50s had been travelling on the e-scooter which collided with the van at 8.10pm last night in the townland of Rusheen in Riverstown.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The male driver of the van, aged in his 30s, sustained minor injuries in the incident and is receiving treatment at Sligo University Hospital.
The L1303 road where the crash took place is currently closed in Rusheen pending a technical examination of the scene by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Traffic diversions have been put in place.
The latest fatality brings to 155 the total number of people who have died on Irish roads in 2023 — the same figure as the total recorded during the entirety of 2022.
As of this point last year, 118 people had been killed on our roads.
According to the latest available figures, 38 of those who have died this year were pedestrians, the highest total reported for 15 years.
On Wednesday, minister of state at the Department of Transport, Jack Chambers said the upward trends in road deaths this year have been "shocking" and "a reversal of the significant progress we’ve made from a road safety perspective".
Mr Chambers was speaking alongside Road Safety Authority (RSA) chief executive Sam Waide and Assistant Garda Commissioner Paula Hilman as they made an urgent appeal to road users ahead of the busy bank holiday weekend.
From 7am Thursday until next Wednesday, An Garda Síochána will be carrying out a road policing nationwide initiative focusing on drink and drug driving, speeding, use of mobile phones, and seatbelts.
Mr Chambers confirmed that is attempting to push through legislation aimed at reducing the “worrying trend on our roads”, and was requesting the committee to forego pre-legislative scrutiny to allow it to pass faster.
The measures include penalty point reform, mandatory drug testing, and the amendment of default speed limits on roads.
Gardaí have issued an appeal for information in relation to Wednesday night's accident in Sligo.
Anyone who was travelling in the vicinity of Rusheen, Riverstown, on Wednesday evening between 7.30pm and 8.15pm, and who may have camera footage, has been asked to make this available to investigating gardaí.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact Ballymote Garda Station on 071 918 9500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.