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A MAN WHO accidentally ran over the body of his girlfriend’s father has been speaking out on road safety.
Michael Jackson, from Mayo, did so while driving a van towards Killala in the north of the county in the early hours of the morning on 10 June last year.
When he felt a slight bump in the road, he thought nothing of it and continued on his drive.
When he eventually pulled in, he noticed some bumper damage on the driver side, and a friend who had been travelling in a separate vehicle also reported feeling a slight bump in the road.
The two men traced back the way they had came and discovered the body of Frankie Bonner – the father of his girlfriend Maggie.
‘I was in total shock’
Speaking on the TV3′s Ireland AM programme, Michael spoke about the incident and the need for late night walkers on Irish roads to wear high visibility jackets.
“I tried to ring the emergency services and I wasn’t able to. My friend had to take the phone off me to ring them because I couldn’t actually think of the number,” he said.
I was in total shock.
Also speaking about the incident on the show was Maggie, Michael’s girlfriend, who said that her father had left the pub at around 2.30am to walk home. She said that the experience has been “just a nightmare”.
Road safety
Also appearing on the programme was representative from the RSA, Noel Higgins, who was there with the couple to encourage people out walking to wear high-visibility clothing.
Speaking on the programme, he said, “It’s so so important to be seen out there if you are walking home. People need to plan before you get out. Even something as small as a Hi Viz arm band in your pocket going out or in your handbag; that will make a huge difference.”
It could be the difference between life and death.
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Absolute harrowing story.
regardless of what hour it is Hi Viz gear should be worn it makes the pedestrian/cyclist more visible and relatively cheap or free from the RSA website.
Alcohol… the elephant in the story
juniper why do you mention alcohol…it was a dark country road….drunk or sober the man was knocked down….he could have been a non drinker.
Not many non drinkers leave the pub at 2.30am to walk home
Fewer still lie down for a kip
@ Josephine – where does it day he knocked anyone down? I read it as the poor man was already on the ground, hence being hard to spot. he could have fallen, earlier and just lay there. ..
Cannot understand how two motorists could not see and run over a body lying in front on the road. and to dint a bumper surely you’d pull in to see what it was.
The very same thing happened to a person I know a few years back.. The young guy was asleep/drunk on a very narrow back road and his neighbour ran over him.. Fair play to this family for highlighting the issue.. We all have the hi viz vests and we should make more use of them, day or night
Sad story and all, but surely I’m not the only one to get a laugh out of that ‘Michael Jackson’ caption on the picture!
Go away will you.
There are probably a million Michael Jacksons. Some people are easily amused.
RIP
Since when is being amused a crime?
No Bill not even the hint of a smile!
I feel bad now, I guess I should just beat it.
Bill Jones you need to grow up and show some respect
He doesn’t “need to” do anything. He had a harmless chuckle about a coincidence in somebody’s name. Relax and have a nice cup of tea.
You are the only one apparently!
Like others that post in thejournal – he needs to work out when it’s the right time and the wrong time to post a harmless chuckle. Most understand.
What a tragic story RIP and I hope you all can move on from such a tragedy and you are doing the right thing by highlighting the need for all out walking specially at night to be seen and even carry a little torch also so that they light up the walk home in unlit areas such as country roads so they do not trip over on uneven surfaces
And motorists should also have them in their cars to wear if they have to get out of their car
Bernadette its the law in Portugal that hiViz jackets have to be carried in vehicles to cover all the passengers and driver.
Yes it is Gus Sheridan and in Spain and most of Europe too It should be here too
I grew up in the arse end of nowhere in the South East in the 80s & 90s & I cycled everywhere at all hours. I always wore a Sam Browne belt & I was always spotted a mile off. Last Winter as a present day driver, I came within inches of killing a Johnny Cash look-a-like on a narrow back road in the dark. There’s a lot to be said for what these people are trying to do.
Neal they passed that law last week. Apparently a law that says you can’t smile at women or you will be done for sexual harassment is on the cards too.
This is an issue which needs to be highlighted and made compulsary. I was in a similar incident last year involving a pedestrian in a dimly lit area, any type of hi vis could have saved her life. This is a serious issue that needs to be resolved which in turn would save lives.
This is an issue that needs to be highlighted! I was in a very similar incident involving a pedestrian in a dimly lit area some sort of hi vis could have saved her life. They should be compulsery for anyone out walking at night be it in a rural or city area.
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