EDITORIAL: Twenty-six days on Tipperary's roads
From this week's Tipperary Star and The Nationalist
In just 26 days (from August 4 - August 29) nine people have lost their lives in road traffic accidents in Tipperary.
That is two pedestrians out walking, four young people celebrating, two grandparents and a young child. Just last week, we wrote about families’ communities in Clonmel. This week, we are writing about another poor family and community in Cashel.
And it’s not just Tipperary. The RSA have revealed this week that there have been 600 serious collisions this year, with 125 of those fatal.
While Tipperary reeled from the news in Cashel on Wednesday, a three-year old girl in Laois and a man in his 40s in Donegal were killed. As a journalist, your heart jumps when you see the email. You know it’s not just a story, but someone’s loved one.
But already, there are some proposed changes. Labour have called for a ban on sharing crash images. The RSA are calling for higher penalty points for dangerous driving and extra speed vans.
Following the accident that killed Liam Hanrahan, there has been a renewed local call for a better, safer road infrastructure in Thurles.
Every community can help.
After each accident the gardaí asks for footage and information. You might not know what you have but it could help. And though your instinct may be to show support online, make sure to give the families space to grieve.
Information sharing is important, but so is empathy.
At the last Tipperary Joint Policing Committee meeting in June, the news was cautiously optimistic, with just two people having died on the roads.
Citing speed and road conditions, the Chief Superintendent asked people to be “mindful” on the roads.
Situations happen and people end up in trouble. Others in the worst conversation of their lives.
This is perhaps not the time to make sense of it all, but that time will come.
For now, mind yourselves and your loved ones and get home safe.