Gardaí have a treat for road users this Halloween

AS Halloween approaches, gardaí in Mayo have a new trick up their sleeve, or is it a treat in their boot?

In an innovative move designed to reduce the death toll on Irish roads, all garda cars in the county are to carry a stock of high-visibility vests to be given out to poorly-lit pedestrians and cyclists.

Be seen and be safe – that’s the message to all road users in Co. Mayo as the evenings get darker. Their costumes may be out of this world, but are often made with dark colour material and hard to see by motorists.

Mayo County Council is reminding pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to make themselves more visible during the dark winter nights.

High-visibility vests are to be handed out by gardaí to poorly-lit pedestrians and cyclists in Mayo as part of an initiative to reduce the county’s casualties.

The county council is urging pedestrians to wear fluorescent or bright clothing in the daytime and reflective material at night to make them more visible to drivers.

At the same time, motorists are urged to use their headlights so that not only can they see other road users but they, themselves, can be seen.

Without reflective clothing or accessories a pedestrian or cyclist is only visible, in low beam headlights, from 30 metres away. By wearing or using reflective items they become visible at 150 metres, giving drivers five times the distance to notice and avoid them.

Hi-viz vests, provided by the Road Safety Authority, have been distributed to stations across the county.

Said Noel Gibbons, road safety officer Mayo County Council: “It is crucial when using the road at night-time that you are seen. As always, we urge people to wear high-visibility vests, reflective bands and to carry a torch.

“Already in 2018, 17 pedestrians and seven cyclists have been killed on roads around Ireland. We are delighted gardai are handing out the high-visibility vests because it helps to hammer home our Be Safe, Be Seen message.”

 

* Pictured handing over high-viz vests were (from left) Marie Moran, Eilish Mulhern, RSA, Ethan Dixon, Neil Sheridan, Mayo County Council, Garda John Flanagan, roads policing, Councillor Blackie Gavin, cathaoirleach, Mayo County Council, Noel Gibbons, road safety officer, Reya Gitoler and Sgt. Sean Cunnane. roads policing. Photo: Michael Donnelly