Drive ban a ‘no brainer’ says victim’s dad

LEO Lieghio’s 16-year-old daughter Marsia was killed in a hit-and-run incident by a heroin addict with previous drink-driving convictions.

He was among the attendants at a ceremony to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims yesterday and said the introduction of a driving ban for drink drivers was a ‘no-brainer’.

‘Some of the comments made by certain TDs are absolutely ridiculous. To us, it’s a no-brainer: if you drink and drive you’re already breaking the law. People have to get that into their heads,’ Mr Lieghio said.

‘It’s not going to stop the habitual drinker but the guy who has the occasional one or two might stop and think – if I could lose my licence, I’m not going to bother. And if it saves one life, it’s so important.’

Mr Lieghio’s daughter Marsia was mowed down while crossing the Fonthill Road in Dublin 12 years ago. The driver struck Ms Lieghio at 80kph and fled the scene after the collision. Ciara McAlinden only served ten months for careless driving, not having insurance, failure to report the incident and failure to stay at the scene. She was serving a driving ban from the previous year for drink driving.

Mr Lieghio said the remembrance day brings human faces to the statistics: ‘It puts a human face to the devastation. The roads are for everybody – it’s not just for their own selfish needs. When one person dies, it affects hundreds of people – road users need to realise that,’ he said. ‘No-one wants it knocking on their doors, I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.’