An Garda Síochána, in conjunction with our colleagues across Europe are calling on all road users to offer support as they attempt to deliver this year’s European Day Without A Road Death (#ProjectEDWARD) on Thursday 26 September.
This is the fourth year for #ProjectEDWARD, where there has once again been an extensive social media campaign to draw attention to some road safety basics, as well as roadside enforcement and engagement activity by police officers all over Europe.
#ProjectEDWARD is an initiative of TISPOL, the European Roads Policing Network, whose Acting General Secretary Aidan Reid commented: "We are proud that Project EDWARD has become a high point of the road safety calendar.
"This year our focus is this simple concept: ‘We’re all more vulnerable than we think’. So we are calling on all road users to play their part in reducing the risks they face – and the risks they pose to others.
"On Edward day, please:
• Be aware of others using the road.
• Slow down.
• Don’t drive if you have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
• Don’t use your phone while driving.
• Be particularly mindful of pedestrians, pedal cyclists, motorcyclists and other more vulnerable road users.
"We invite everyone to support #ProjectEDWARD by signing the pledge at projectedward.org and by using social media (#ProjectEDWARD) to share a ‘zero’ image for no road deaths – on Thursday and on every day.”
Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan, head of Ireland’s Roads Policing said:- "An Garda Síochána is proud to support this vital road safety initiative. Last year was the safest ever on Irish roads, but this year we are seeing an increase in road deaths, so the timing of this Pan European safety initiative is most welcome to focus all our minds on how to make our roads safer.
"The tragic events in Parteen, Co. Clare in the early hours of this morning demonstrate that we can never become complacent about road safety and we are all more vulnerable than we think. I am urging everyone – on every journey – to take nothing for granted and to make road safety the number one priority.”
Since 00:00, GoSafe has checked the speed of 1,851 vehicles with 14 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit.
Notable speeds include:
• 71km/h in a 50km/h zone on the R132 Lagavooren, Drogheda, Louth
• 105km/h in a 80km/h zone on the R147 Garretstown, Dunshaughlin, Meath
An Garda Síochána will issue further updates over the course of the day.
