The Donegal Road Safety Working Group, have issued a road safety message to everyone attending the Joule Donegal International Rally to “Slow Down”.
The road safety campaign aims to convey life-saving road safety messages to the public and to the high-risk target audiences following and viewing the rally.
“We want to get the message directly to the predominantly young men who follow the sport,” explained Brian O’Donnell, Road Safety Officer. “We want to remind them of the need to drive safely and to keep the race in its place. We would appeal to all road users to take their time on the roads and do everything they can to increase their safety as well as others, no matter how long or short the journey is and not to attempt to imitate what they see during the race”.
Large numbers will arrive in Donegal over the coming days to attend the rally and we want to emphasise the importance of safety, both on the rally course and on the public roads.
Everyone attending the rally will need to get the message that ‘safety wins’ first and foremost.
Followers of the rally need to be reminded to watch the stages from safety areas, always stay within the speed limits and reduce speed in inclement weather conditions and allow plenty of time to arrive safely at your destination. Always wear your seatbelt. Never ever drink or drug drive. Never use a mobile phone while driving and beware of the signs of the onset of driver fatigue.
Safety is a top priority for all rally drivers and it should be the top priority for all road users.
Drivers simply cannot drive on open roads the same way that professional rally drivers drive on closed roads with a co-driver warning of upcoming obstacles and hazards.
Ordinary drivers just don’t drive under the same strict health and safety requirements and when driving on public roads we must always obey the rules of the road.
To date this year, 80 people have died on Irish roads, an increase of 14 on the same period in 2015.
