South Meath Driving School

According to shocking new figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), in the first six months of 2012, 23% of drivers killed and 29% of passengers killed were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision. The information is based on preliminary data supplied by An Garda Síochána. A worrying feature is the number of people who were not wearing a seatbelt and who were ejected from the vehicle.

The real tragedy behind these figures is that some of these deaths may well have been prevented if the driver or passenger had been wearing their seatbelt. Wearing a seatbelt significantly increases your chance of survival and can reduce the severity of your injuries if involved in a collision. According to the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in the UK around 2 out of 3 people will survive or have less serious injuries if they are wearing a seat belt

Mr. Noel Brett, Chief Executive, RSA said, “Putting on a seatbelt only takes a few seconds and it’s something we do automatically. Despite this, and the fact that the overwhelming majority of people in this country wear a seatbelt, we have an overall wearing rate of 95%, there is a minority who are willing to put their lives at risk by not wearing one. Why? Is it because they believe it’s their personal choice, they just can’t be bothered or perhaps they think they look cool in front of their friends?”

Mr. Brett concluded, “While not wearing a seatbelt is not cool, it is a selfish act, neither is it a matter of personal choice. If you do not wear a seatbelt you become a potential killer in a crash. You will be thrown around the inside of a car, possibly seriously injuring or killing other occupants in the car. Quite simply, without a seatbelt you’re a killer.”

By not wearing a seatbelt you are not just risking your life and that of others, you are breaking the law. You must wear a seatbelt if one is fitted.

If you don’t wear a seatbelt you risk a fine of €80 and two penalty points, which remain on your licence for three years. Passengers over 17 can be fined €80 for not wearing a seatbelt.

The Gardaí are issuing an average of 1,300 Fixed Charged Notices each month in 2012 to drivers for seatbelt offences. They issued almost 16,000 notices for seatbelt offences in 2011.

Previous RSA research indicated that males account for 4 out of 5 road deaths where no seatbelt is being used and that young men are four and a half times more likely not to be wearing a seatbelt in a fatal collision (Collision Facts 1998 to 2003).

According to the 2010 Road Collision Facts, published by the RSA (the last year we have comprehensive data) 16% of drivers and 41% of passengers killed were not wearing seat belts.

Belt up. Be safe. You can always get into a good habit but you can never get out of a brown habit. (For the information of our younger generation, that’s the wearing apparel of the dead.)

The things that young people get up to can be as fascinating as it is exasperating. It’s still great to be young and not telling your mother everything; no need ‘cause she mostly finds out, one way or another.

Some of the older folk, yeah, those past the half century mark, might remember the sponsored fifteen minute programmes on Radio Eireann. One such was Walton’s, at the end of which the broadcaster went, ‘… and if you feel like singing, do sing an Irish song, the songs our fathers loved.’

The Waltons often featured the great tenor, John McCormack singing the lovely folk song, ‘When You and I were Young, Maggie.’

The lyrics of the song were written by a Canadian schoolteacher, George Johnson many moons ago. Margaret ‘Maggie’ Clarke was his pupil. They fell in love and George walked to the Niagra Falls and composed the poem. The tone is melancholy and consolation over lost youth rather than fear of  aging. They were married in 1864 but Maggie’s health failed and she died the following year, while the good man lived on for a further fifty years.

And, yes, youth must have its fling. The fling might incorporate things like wild oats, booze, reefers, or just crazy cars. The experience of what happened in Donegal a few years back shocked the country and beyond, when six or seven people were killed in one horrific crash. Young lads had been playing ‘chicken’ among other games with the lethal weapon that is the motorcar.

A young fellow buys an old car for about 700 euro, most likely. It’s moribund but after a few weeks there’s a complete transformation.

Apart from  an eye-catching respray, there’s much modification with big bore exhausts and stereos; spoilers and bonnet scoops; there’s suspension modifications to lower the occupants height. There’s body kits and neon lights. Tinted windows restrict the view from within and without.

That’s more or less cosmetic. This car has to be seen to go. So, a 1.3 litre engine comes out and is replaced by a 2.0 litre. A new set of alloy wheels and stretch tyres has it ready for off. Green lenses have replaced rear lights and brakes. Impressive. Oh, and the discs on the windscreen are not a priority as this machine is not for the High Street, particularly. It just might be insured. Well, only at shady times of the day will it venture off course. Up to 2,000.00 euro may have been spent on the beast at this stage. The horse is now a cheetah.

There are exciting ‘track’ days ahead. Off to the meeting place. There’s another three or four contenders waiting. The rap, rap from the speakers set the tone. Doughnuts for a start. Round and round she goes in 2^nd gear, pedal to the floor, handbrake three quarters applied, wheels spinning, smoke rising, breathing rubber. One at a time they line out for their parish, each trying to outperform the other. To achieve this, a passenger half climbs out the window, feet hanging inside and holds on heroically in the cauldron of this dustbowl.

If there’s a tread left, a road race starts. These are narrow, rural backwaters, though in use by the public. Two cars abreast at full throttle. Someone ends up in a drain. There’s great fun getting towed out the next day. There’s a rush of adrenalin even recalling their exploits.  Inevitably, sometimes there’s serious injury, even fatalities.

Education is key to eradicating such behaviour. It has worked well in the far North West. Inculcate the right attitude in the classroom and there’s a high probability that temptation will be resisted.

Not every young lad or lass hankers with such escapades; nor do all who spruce – up their car as stated. There’s the car ‘enthusiast’ who just likes to show off his wares in a more civil manner, cruising around slowly, except for the ear-bursting noise of the twin exhausts at take-off time from traffic lights. He’s just more irritating than dangerous and can attract a pretty lady in the process.

Changing the make-up of a car in any substantial way alters that car to the extent that insurance cover is negatived. Bad enough being caught by the law for the infringement, but it’s in the event of a crash that the enhancement of a suspension or ‘upgrading’ of the engine may result in, literally, not having the vehicle insured. Insurance companies insist that any material alteration must be reported to them. That will certainly mean a further premium or even cancellation.

A NCT test will also result in failure.

Mammy, when the young fella spends too many winter nights in the garage he may not be simply repairing your boiler, rather he might be creating a monster for the family.