A total of 30 students who attended the Donegal Road Safety Roadshow in the past 15 years have since perished on the county’s roads.
The stark figure was released by Donegal’s Road Safety Officer Brian O’Donnell in advance of the festive season.
Mr O’Donnell said he wanted to release the figure as a stark warning to young people that nobody is “bullet proof.”
He appealed to young people heading out to meet friends over Christmas not to get into cars if they do not feel comfortable and not to walk home if it is not safe to do so.
He told Donegal Daily “Unfortunately, many of these young people think they are bullet-proof but they are not.
“Many of the 30 young people who have died in the last 15 years who attended our roadshow probably thought that also but unfortunately they are not here today.
“They need to know that now the Christmas season is in full swing that they are vulnerable if they into cars with people who are over the limit or who drive recklessly.
Mr. Brian O’Donnell, Road Safety Officer
“If they cannot get a taxi then they should make that phonecall to their parents or better still make arrangements before they head out,” he said.
And Mr O’Donnell also stressed that parents also have a role to play in ensuring that their children get home safely.
He added “Yes, you may be annoyed by getting a phonecall at 2am or whatever. But the annoyance will be gone as soon as you drive out the gate and are safe in the knowledge that your son or daughter will be getting home safely.
“We all need to work together on this to ensure that our sons and daughters do not become the next statistic on Donegal’s road tragedy list.
“Isn’t it better to get a phonecall asking for a lift at 2am than getting a knock on the door from the Gardai telling you the news every parents dreads?”
