This year, the Donegal Road Safety Working Group are focusing on the need for slower speeds outside school gates.
On 23rd and 24th October, members of the Donegal Road Working Group, in the company of An Garda Síochána, will be highlighting the need for reduced speed at four schools across the county: Kilbarron NS Ballyshannon, Lurgybrack NS Letterkenny, Ballylast NS Castlefin and Scoil Phadraig, Doire.
School gates tend to have large volumes of traffic mixing with lots of young people walking and cycling to and from school. It is every drivers’ responsibility to be mindful of young people and their right to safe passage to and from their place of education. As a result, this collaborative effort is being delivered by the group with the aim of raising awareness of our speed and of more vulnerable road users.
Garda Inspector Seamus McGonigle stated that “Road users are urged to take particular care at schools and to strictly adhere to speed limits and other traffic regulations. A number of concerning incidents have recently been reported and it is incumbent on us all to slow down to an appropriate speed and respect pedestrians at all times”.
Green-Schools Travel Officer, Áine O’Loughlen reports that “recent speed surveys conducted by Green-Schools Travel nationwide show that over 50% of vehicles surveyed were found to be speeding”.
Chris Harley, Road Safety Officer stated, “There is a large percentage of road users who do not slow down outside schools. We need to get the message to all road users, that they must slow down outside schools and always obey the speed limit. We would encourage a significant reduction in speed during school drop off and collection periods when the peak activity occurs.”
