The Road Safety Authority, Gardai, National Roads Authority and AA Ireland (Cartell.ie Partner) have joined forces for a new campaign aimed at motorway safety. Ireland has 1,187km of motorway and since 2005 there have been 100 fatalities or serious injuries on those routes.  Eight people died last year and this year there have been six fatalities on our motorways. Half of the number of people who needlessly lost their lives last year were pedestrians.

Drivers are urged to take care on motorways. In particular never stop on a motorway! This can easily lead to pile-ups and serious accidents.  Cartell.ie thinks another serious issue on motorways is lane changing – particularly lane changing on a three-lane or multi-lane carriageway such as the newly designed M50 in Dublin. An obvious difficulty concerns two vehicles who simultaneously change lanes – one from the outside lane – and one from the inside lane – and where they converge in the middle lane. Always check your blind spot in the direction you intend to cross before changing lanes! Particularly on a multi-lane route!

Most at risk on motorways are pedestrians. Noel Brett, of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), said: “The message is clear: never, ever walk on a motorway.

“Pedestrians are at a massive risk on a motorway – you’re taking your life in your hands and putting other road users in danger too.

Drivers should also respect the hardshoulder.