Everyone has a role to play in road safety, students are told

NO one goes out with the intention of being involved in a collision, but due to poor habits and poor judgements, serious consequences arise, and lives are lost. 

That was the message that Bandon Community Garda Damian White delivered to 300 local TY students who attended a simulated two-car collision resulting in serious injury and two fatalities. The main Bandon to Clonakilty road was closed for the road safety exercise which involved the combined resources from An Garda Síochána, National Ambulance Service, Fire Service and Red Cross. 

Garda involvement at the event was co-ordinated by Sgt John Murphy. Volunteers from the Bandon branch of the Irish Red Cross, and several local students played the part of crash participants. In the simulation, one of the drivers involved was ‘arrested for drink/ drug driving’, and brought back to the station for further analysis.

The effects of speeding were explained, and the importance of wearing a seatbelt. The consequences of using a mobile phone while driving, and drink or drug driving were also discussed. The importance of having tyres in good condition was also outlined, and emphasis was also placed on the fact that all road users have a part to play in road safety. 

In preparation for this demonstration, the schools were visited in advance of the event by Barry Hayes, HSE paramedic; Ger Crean, Bandon Fire Brigade; and Garda White who thanked the National Ambulance Service, especially supervisor Barry Hayes, and Bandon Fire Service, led by station officer Harold Atkinson. Thanks also to the members of the Bandon branch of the Irish Red Cross, and to Marie O’Donovan who applied the extremely realistic casualty make-up. John O’Donovan of O’Donovan’s TV & Electrical kindly provided and operated the PA system, and Phillip Cross of Phillip Cross Motors assisted by providing the vehicles involved and in their safe removal after the exercise.