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Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins is urging everyone to take extra care on the roads as a series of hard-hitting social media videos have been released showing the reality faced by emergency services at serious crash scenes. It comes at a time when County Louth is struggling to come to terms with a horrific collision outside Dundalk on Saturday night which claimed the lives of five young people in the prime of their lives.
The five people who died were: Chloe McGee, 23, Carickmacross; Alan McCluskey, 23, Drumconrath; Dylan Commins, 23, Ardee; Shay Duffy, 21, Carrickmacross and Chloe Hipson, 21, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The films, commissioned by the Department for Infrastructure, portray what happens at collision scenes from the perspective of firefighters, paramedics and police officers as they arrive and deal with the devastation. The videos are being released as Road Safety Week gets under way from 16 to 22 November.
Minister Kimmins said road traffic collisions deeply impact lives, not just of those involved, but their families and friends too, including those who are first on the scene. "I want to pay tribute to them for everything they do, and it is so important that these stories are told, which is why my department has commissioned a series of social media videos to show the reality of what first responders are faced with in the aftermath of a serious collision," she said.
The Minister pointed out that most collisions are avoidable, with statistics showing over 95% are caused by people behaving dangerously, carelessly or simply ignoring the law. "Nobody wants to be involved in a crash, and nobody wants to be responsible for it either," she said, adding that tragically, so far this year, 44 families have received the devastating news that their loved one is not coming home.
Last year saw 1,008 people killed or seriously injured as a result of being involved in a collision. Minister Kimmins stressed that road safety is important all year round, not just for this week, and urged everyone to slow down, pay attention, never drink alcohol or take drugs if driving, leave the mobile phone alone, take extra care around schools and act responsibly on every journey.
Police Service of Northern Ireland Superintendent Jonathan Wilson said anyone impacted by a fatal or serious road traffic collision will know of the trauma involved. "So many people are impacted, including those left injured, the loved ones left to grieve, to emergency services colleagues responding and dealing with the consequences," he said. "Lives are changed in an instant. We all need to work together towards making our roads safe for everyone."
Chief Paramedic Officer and Interim Director of Operations with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Neil Sinclair, said NIAS crews attend 12 or more incidents on the roads every day. He said the impact of this trauma is also felt by the men and women of the service who are often members of the communities in which these incidents happen. "In this Road Safety Week, and beyond, I ask you, when using the road, to commit to being a role model to your friends and families, by simply respecting others," he said.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Assistant Chief Fire and Rescue Officer Marcus Wright said firefighters attended 744 road traffic collisions in 2024 and rescued 139 people who were trapped inside their vehicle. "We must all do our part by taking responsibility on our roads. Slowing down, staying alert and respecting other road users can be the difference between life or death," he said.
This Road Safety Week, the Department is encouraging people to sign up to Share the Road to Zero and commit to be the best road user they can be, whether as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or horse rider. The road safety community engagement programme encourages all road users to take personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others on the roads. Signing up is quick, easy and free at www.sharetheroadtozero.com.
