Motorists urged to take caution over Easter holidays

The advice follows the deaths of three motorcyclists in recent days.

To date this year, twenty people have lost their lives and many more have been seriously injured in road traffic collisions across Northern Ireland.

T/Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said: “With many people enjoying some time off over the coming week, we are appealing to all road users to exercise caution, as our statistics illustrate that, like any other holiday period, there is an increased risk of collisions.

“Considering that speeding and drink driving remain the biggest causes of collisions which kill and seriously injure people on roads across Northern Ireland, our message to drivers and riders is very simple. “If you speed, take drink or drugs and drive, fail to wear your seatbelt, drive carelessly or dangerously, you run the real risk of killing or seriously injuring yourself, your passengers or some other innocent road user.

“Over the coming week, we will have additional police resources on the roads across Northern Ireland and will be liaising closely with our An Garda Síochána Traffic Corps colleagues in the border counties, specifically looking for road users taking unnecessary and potentially life-changing risks.

“As many school children will be enjoying the holidays, road users should also keep an eye out for increased numbers of children using or crossing roads, particularly close to schools, parks and leisure amenities, in addition to junctions and bus stops.

“With the brighter evenings, we are also particularly mindful of many motorcyclists taking their machines out of winter storage for the first run of the season. Bikers must ensure their motorcycles and safety equipment are in good working order, particularly after being laid up over the winter months.

“Everyone must take into account increased traffic levels over the holiday period and heed the road safety message. We will enforce the law to make Northern Ireland’s roads safer, but our role is very much secondary.

“All road users have a role to play in preventing deaths and injuries on our roads. All we ask is that drivers slow down, do not drive after drinking or taking drugs, wear a seatbelt and drive with greater care and attention,” T/Assistant Chief Constable Todd concluded.