Prosecuted - Dangerous Driving

Hi NiallA,

I am glad to hear that someone has included that Garda Lo-Call number and I wish more people would use it.

It is sad to hear how that person ended up paralysed as a result of the car accident. However it is a sad fact of life that dangerous driving results in thousands of deaths and serious injuries each year.

On Easter Monday this year I was driving back to Dublin when I came upon a motorcycle accident. A young man came off his bike and was lying in the middle of the road. I was first on the scene and held his hand, spoke to him and tried to keep him going as we waited for the ambulance. I think his neck was broken and unfortunately, he died before the ambulance arrived.

I wish sometimes that some of the muppets I see speeding and driving recklessly and carelessly, at ludicrous speeds could experience and see the shocking scene I witnessed that day. In addition, having to break such terrible news to someone's family by mobile phone as they lie dying on a public road is a very sobering experience too.

I used the trafficwatch number and got a case to court. Defendant did not bother to show up and case was ajourned twice. Had to attend 2 days and I still have not been compensated for my time and expenses. It seems to be a waste of time if the Gardai won't proceed when there is a no show.

This is probably going to seem harsh to some people out there, but I feel pretty strongly about a lot of the tippy-toeying around accidents in this country.

"The car went into a wall" or "The car went off the road". Again and again you hear this when reporting of accidents. Fair enough, it may not necessarily be known at the time, but we never hear follow ups afterwards to confirm that it was "The car went off the road because the driver was asleep", or "The car went into a wall because the driver was drunk and had no appreciation for the speed he was going around" a corner.

CMCR said:

A young man came off his bike

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How???

CMCR said:

I wish sometimes that some of the muppets I see speeding and driving recklessly and carelessly, at ludicrous speeds could experience and see the shocking scene I witnessed that day.

Click to expand...

How do we know that he wasn't himself one of those "muppets" as happened the paraplegic person mentioned above?

ronan_d_john said:

This is probably going to seem harsh to some people out there, but I feel pretty strongly about a lot of the tippy-toeying around accidents in this country.

"The car went into a wall" or "The car went off the road". Again and again you hear this when reporting of accidents. Fair enough, it may not necessarily be known at the time, but we never hear follow ups afterwards to confirm that it was "The car went off the road because the driver was asleep", or "The car went into a wall because the driver was drunk and had no appreciation for the speed he was going around" a corner.



How???



How do we know that he wasn't himself one of those "muppets" as happened the paraplegic person mentioned above?

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Fine, so here is your follow-up.

The person was a 22 year old father of one who lived a few miles away from the scene of the accident. The motorcycle was a second-hand one and he was thinking of buying it so brought it on a test-drive. I'm told it was his first time taking it for a spin and while he was wearing a helmet - he was wearing no other protective equipment.

He was driving on a very wide, straight, open section of road. It was early afternoon, a fine day with little traffic about and no other vehicle involved in the accident. According to the Gardai and analysis of the scene following the accident, I am told the cause was most likely speeding. He was off the bike only a few minutes when I came upon the scene and he was still breathing at that time.

I could smell alcohol at the scene but I am not sure whether he was drink/driving or whether this was from the night before. His friends at the scene said he had not been drinking that day.

My point was, that it is sad to hear about deaths and injuries through motoring accidents. While I have little sympathy for anyone who is aware of the risks of behaving recklessly (but carries on regardless), it is very sad to see how many peoples lives can be ruined by one reckless act.

As horrific as the TV adverts on dangerous driving, etc are, I still don't think they truly capture the horror faced by anyone who comes on the scene of a severe accident (the Gardai, emergency personnel, passers-by etc.).

The scene I witnessed that day has changed the way I drive and the way I approach road safety. However, in my opinion, even if dangerous drivers were forced to visit recovering victims in hospitals, families, morgues I don't think it will ever change some people's behaviour.