Take eggstra care on roads this Halloween
Safety chiefs & gardai warn kids throwing missiles is bad crack
MOTORISTS have been warned to be vigilant when travelling this Halloween following reports of a number of eggs being thrown at passing cars.
The Road Safety Authority said children flinging eggs at windscreens can result in the driver having to swerve and potentially crash their car. With the teenage trick or treat goers eggs and flour might sound like inoffensive household items, but shop owners are being asked to consider limiting the sale of them to youngsters around Halloween. The RSA said gardai and local authorities are inundated with complaints every year over anti-social behaviour. Sgt Gerry Mcnally, from Westport Garda station said: “While we do not want to be accused of stopping people enjoying themselves, we would also ask those same people to think of the impact of their behaviour on others and themselves. “Their actions can cause fear and anxiety. This could be perceived to be intimidating and lead to public order offences, arrest and a criminal record.” The Road Safety Office supported by tidy town committees are launching a campaign to highlight safety while taking steps to curb an expected surge in anti-social behaviour over the Halloween period.
INITIATIVE
Westport Tidy Towns Committee member Eithne Larkin said: “We welcome and endorse any initiative that retains the beauty of our town and highlights the importance of road safety and not causing distress to any members of our community particularly over the Halloween period.” Road Safety Officer Noel Gibbons said: “No one wants the elderly or vulnerable pelted with eggs or having flour poured on their doorstep, unplanned visitors, fireworks and bonfires can cause fear and anxiety for the elderly. “This campaign is taking place because over the past few years we have experienced problems in the lead up to Halloween with youths throwing eggs and flour at residents’ houses under the guise of ‘trick or treat’.” “At this time of year lots of people like to dress up for Halloween but over the past few weeks we have seen news reports from across the world where people are dressing up as “killer clowns” to intimidate and scare people. “This causes distress to people within our communities, particularly the young and the elderly and it is completely unacceptable.”
Their actions could cause fear & lead to arrest and a criminal record SGT GERRY MCNALLY WESTPORT YESTERDAY