Three killed in crash as spate of road deaths rocks Republic

THREE people have been killed in a horror head-on crash in Co Donegal, just a few miles from the border.

Steven McCafferty, Teresa Robinson and Kaylem O’Murachaidh died when two cars collided on a minor road beside a wooded area near Corrovaddy, just outside Letterkenny, Co Donegal, at about 1am yesterday.

Another man was rushed to hospital and was last night said to be in a serious condition.

Gardai in Letterkenny said the three bodies remained at the scene for several hours after the accident, and that the county coroner had been notified.

Just two hours later, a man died in another road crash in Co Galway. The 26-year-old was fatally injured in the collision at Coolagh, Gurtymadden, Co Galway around 2.45am.

The victim, who had been driving, was taken to hospital, but later died of his injuries. A Garda spokesman said no other people were involved.

The road death toll for the week reached double figures following the accident.

It comes after the Garda Traffic Corps and Road Safety Authority issued appeals for drivers to take care as the South’s August bank holiday approaches.

Four men were killed in a spate of crashes within hours of each other in Donegal, Meath and Kildare earlier in the week.

A mother and her teenage son also died in a crash in Co Galway on Sunday night, along with other fatal accidents in Kildare and Sligo.

After gardai appealed for witnesses to the latest incident to contact officers in Letterkenny, Donegal County Council’s road safety officer, Brian O’Donnell, urged people to be extra vigilant.

“This means always obey the speed limits, reduce speed in inclement weather conditions and allow plenty of time to arrive safely at your destination,” he said. “Always wear your seatbelt, never use a mobile phone while driving, and never drink and drive.”

The council said the latest tragedies were horrific and that thoughts and prayers were with the families and relatives of those involved.

“We as a community have had far too many tragedies, particularly road traffic collisions,” a spokesman explained.

“No family should have to suffer the loss of a loved one as a result of a road traffic collision.

“It should never be forgotten that behind every figure and statistic are real tragedies and real victims with real lives lost.”

The council also urged people to take personal responsibility for road safety. “Road safety is not an issue for the authorities alone,” a spokesman said. “Each one of us who uses our roads can make a difference, and we should take a moment to reflect on how we use the roads and whether we could improve our driving and ensure that we do not become another bleak statistic — or the cause of one.

“These recent tragedies have changed countless lives for ever.”