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Alanna, left, and Faye McEntaggart from Rathbeggan National School in Dunshaughlin helping to launch the high-vis vest campaign last year. Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Child deaths on Irish roads halved between 1997 and 2006

The RSA is calling on parents and teachers to give road safety tips and guidance to children as they head back to school.

NEW RESEARCH by the Road Safety Authority shows that the number of children aged up to 14 years who were killed on Irish roads fell by almost half between 1997 and 2006.

The Child Casualties Report also shows that the number of child passengers killed in traffic accidents fell by 73 per cent over the same period.

Two hundred and forty-six children aged under 14 were killed over these years and more than 1,000 were seriously injured.

Most of those fatalities occurred between 4pm and 6pm.

The majority (61 per cent) of child deaths on Irish roads in those years occurred on roads with speed limits above 60 km per hour and were outside urban built-up areas. One in four child road deaths happened in Dublin or Cork.

Every child starting primary school this year is being given a high visibility vest courtesy of the RSA and ESB Electric Ireland. Over 80,000 vests will be distributed in special school packs in November.

RSA Chief Executive Noel Bretty said that despite the reduction in child fatalities on the roads, he urged parents and teachers to make road safety a priority when preparing their children for the return to school. “Simply put, one death is one too many,” he said.

Brett asked parents to consider bicycle helmets for their cycling children and ensure that they demonstrated good road behaviour for their children.

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar also said that adults “have a responsibility to show young road-users the correct way to behave when walking, cycling or travelling to school by bus or car.”

Overall last year, 212 people died on Irish roads. Almost half of those fatalities occurred at the weekend.

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    Mute Marty Simpson
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    Mar 12th 2012, 9:46 PM

    The slogan shall be, ” no way Jose”…..,

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    Mute Barry
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:11 PM

    People don’t actually realise that it really hasn’t rained all that much in the last two years, overall throughout the country we’re really not had an awful lot of rain.

    Sure the ground can be wet alot but thats generally due to overnight showers, there not very heavy and prolonged though, for anyone that cycles to work or spends alot of time outdoors walking or running you’ll know it doesn’t actually properly rain all that much.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 9:31 PM

    Money to be made here folks!

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    Mute Finnian Curran
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:37 PM

    YAY FOR GLOBAL WARMING

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    Mute Mike Turner
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    Mar 13th 2012, 1:28 AM

    Water is such a valued natural resource in which Ireland has plenty. Will this be part of the asset stripping?

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    Mute Peter Dignan
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    Mar 13th 2012, 8:24 AM

    that water that fall’s at night .should be saved .ever hear rainwater harvesting .

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    Mute Sandra Murphy
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    Mar 13th 2012, 8:51 AM

    Rainwater harvesting? That sounds like a great idea. Any companies around Dublin do that? Could save a lot of money when those water meters go in.

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    Mute Tom Colgan
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    Mar 13th 2012, 10:36 AM

    People complain about the rain and now ya’s want it back. Jaysus make up yiz’er minds will ya’s

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Mar 13th 2012, 9:46 AM
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    Mute Seamus McDermott
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    Mar 13th 2012, 2:08 PM

    I thought the headline said “Hornpipes banned…”

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