By Cillian Doyle.
Motorists in the South East are being urged to 'never forget' to wear their seatbelts.
The RSA has teamed up with the Gaelic Players Association for a new initiative to help reduce deaths and injuries caused by road collisions.
The social media campaign will feature one GAA player from every county sharing an image with a black ribbon with the caption 'never forget'.
1 in 4 drivers and passengers killed on our roads last year was not wearing a seatbelt. Never forget to wear your seatbelt.
Last year in Kilkenny, 5 people died on the county’s roads – let’s work together to reduce that in 2021. #VisionZero @RSAIreland @gaelicplayers pic.twitter.com/nolXxNhdTs— Miriam Walsh (@miriamwalshtul1) April 25, 2021
Speaking to Beat News, Road Safety Officer for Carlow County Council John McDarby says it's so sad that people are losing their lives for not wearing their seatbelt:
"Last year's figures showed that 1 in 4 drivers and passengers who were killed did not have a seatbelt on - and that's a shocking figure because we had 149 deaths on Irish roads last year - that means that 37 lovely people did not wear a seatbelt - and that's so sad."
Mr McDarby also added that everybody in a vehicle, including passengers, should wear their seatbelt:
"Some people might take the chance that we are only going to the local shop or the local GAA pitch - it makes sense to put it on - even at a low speed - something like 50km - somebody loose in the back, a light person is going to hit the person in the front with the force of an elephant - everybody needs to be restrained in a car -you wouldn't go unrestrained in an aeroplane - Never Forget, Put It On."
Road Safety Authority and @gaelicplayers ask road users to ‘Never Forget’ to wear a seat belt. For more details on the campaign visit ▶ https://t.co/WldhnOLgAX pic.twitter.com/yL9akpINhH
— RSA Ireland (@RSAIreland) April 26, 2021
For more information, click here.
