Kerry car accident

Micky Dolenz

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

What can be done to reduce these occurences? Parental responsibility.

15 year olds coming home at 07:00!

Are you blaming the dead boys parents? He was with his older brother.

Ghost Train

Do think tv3 probably shouldn't have interviewed the mum but did think their report was pretty good. Also they reported that the car was registered to a garage

Mr. Presentable

I am being general.

easyeason3

mickydoomsux wrote: »

Or maybe it was exactly what is needed. Show people the harsh reality of the aftermath of these accidents.

The hand-wringing, 'ah sure, isn't it terrible' approach simply is not working.

There's a time & place for everything. I think TV3 were wrong to interview the mother. She looked completely out of it, as you would expect after getting horrible news like that. It was very bad taste to approach her at all never mind to actually interview her & air it.
If anything that interview shocked me at the level of irresponsibility of TV3.

You are right that a soft approach does not work however I don't think approaching family members hours after losing two boys is the answer either.

Donkeygonads

Ford in the US have a system in all their new cars called MyKey..... where you can set the max top speed of the vehicle to like 50 mph, set warning buzzers for seatbelts, low fuel warning and limit radio volume ...... so, if a son or daughter is driving the car, at least your safe in the knowledge that you've restricted it as much as possible.

Takeshi_Kovacs

Donkeygonads wrote: »

Ford in the US have a system in all their new cars called MyKey..... where you can set the max top speed of the vehicle to like 50 mph, set warning buzzers for seatbelts, low fuel warning and limit radio volume ...... so, if a son or daughter is driving the car, at least your safe in the knowledge that you've restricted it as much as possible.

Something like this would be good. Limit all young drivers to under 55 mph. Nearly all new trucks are speed limited (and a lot of older trucks are being fitted with limiters) nowadays, lets introduce something similar to all new and young drivers. Make them attend special driving schools and get properly certified. And to any messers who continue to drive dangerously, take away their driving license. Let them know the priviledge of driving a car, and that any bollixing will be harshly dealt with.

gaeilgegrinds1

When will the Gardaí implement the rules on provisional drivers? When it is too late for yet more families, that is when.

sh1tstirrer

Nolanger wrote: »

Cut down the dangerous trees along these roads.

Also remove the ditches and move the fields further from the road :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

hotmail.com

Takeshi_Kovacs wrote: »

Something like this would be good. Limit all young drivers to under 55 mph. Nearly all new trucks are speed limited (and a lot of older trucks are being fitted with limiters) nowadays, lets introduce something similar to all new and young drivers. Make them attend special driving schools and get properly certified. And to any messers who continue to drive dangerously, take away their driving license. Let them know the priviledge of driving a car, and that any bollixing will be harshly dealt with.

Just young drivers? I heard of numerous crashes that killed "older" people recently, just none of them gained the media attention that this case and the Donegal case got.

Younger drivers are penalised already by way of the provisional driving licence. The rules on this are not properly enforced. The laws are there, they just need to be properly enforced. Any knee jerk reaction would be foolish.

Anyway why didn't the parents collect these teens from the party?

x in the city

easyeason3 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/four-teenagers-killed-in-co-kerry-road-accident-2310856.html

Very sad news. Families & friends lives will be torn apart yet again over this tragic accident.

My deepest sympathies go to the families & friends of these kids.


So in your opinion, what do you think should be done to prevent accidents like this happening?
Should there be compulsory classes in school to educate kids about driving & it's hazards or is there anything worthwhile that can be done?

I know this is AH but try to keep it respectful, family members or friends could be reading.

I have no sympathy for parents leaving kids of 16 or so cram into a car and leg it home at 7am after a party, an accident waiting to happen.

kelle

hotmail.com wrote: »

Anyway why didn't the parents collect these teens from the party?

Sadly, I have a neighbour who asks herself that question since her son was killed in a hit-and-run walking home from a party 15 years ago - and I guess these poor parents will for the rest of their lives. They all like to be independent.

I dread when mine become teenagers.

Godsentme

kippy wrote: »

That makes absolutely ZERO sense.

Goweeoutadat!

califano

Wasnt even their car according to rte radio1. Apparantly they 'took it' on one of their friends(who wasnt in the car) and the car may have been a garage replacement.
Sounds like the rte were thinly veiling something at this time.

Cheeky_gal

damoz wrote: »

Increase the minimum driving age to 21.

That's the most ridiculous suggestment I've ever heard

easyeason3

x in the city wrote: »

I have no sympathy for parents leaving kids of 16 or so cram into a car and leg it home at 7am after a party, an accident waiting to happen.

Jesus when I was 16 I was wild & would have been in similar situations. I was too much of a know it all brat to consider the consequences. But when I was 16 I can't recall hearing about so many young people getting killed on the road to scare me into copping on.

Those parents have enough to deal with now without anyone judging them. They will be doing enough of that themselves.

trad

An excerpt from a 2002 Review of Ireland's Road Safety Strategy


"To illustrate this, take a ‘known’ type of accident. During a
weekend night, a group of friends drive home from the pub. The car is quite
old and the tyres and brakes are rather worn-out. The driver has just
recently got his driving licence. After having a few drinks in the pub, the
young man drives home fast. His friends are impressed. In a sharp bend he
loses control, cannot brake sufficiently, and crashes into a tree. All the
occupants are thrown out of the car because they are not wearing seat
belts. The casualties are only discovered many hours later. Medical help
arrives too late."

Full report here.
http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/3517-0.pdf

A lot of the factors involved in this accident are present in this report.

Unsinnig

Obviously, my condolenses to the families. A very tragic loss.

That said, I think the problem lies with the way we're taught to drive, not with age, gender, social status et al.

I mean seriously, if 95% of us in incapable of eve parking a car properly, how can we be expected to drive with any modicum of sense? You know it's true. Seriously, how difficult is it to maneuver the car between 2 white lines? 2 fat, white lines, plain to see, yet most people can't do it. Maybe it's not a question of driving ability, but more a quesion of general disrespect for anybody else using the roads.

And yes, there are way too many boy-racers who think they're hard

Noreen1

My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the young people who died, and I hope the survivor makes a good recovery.

Having lost a nephew in a car accident some years ago (he was a pedestrian), I can empathise with the families involved.
Believe me, the sudden death of a young person causes anguish that cannot possibly be imagined in your wildest nightmares, and leaves scars that never heal.
I can also state, truthfully, that some of the comments posted here will cut the feelings of the families involved deeper than any whip!


I cannot understand why people, though well meaning, fail to understand the way their comments affect those who are grieving. Honestly, a kind word at this time pours balm on a wounded heart, if only for a moment. Harsh, judgemental words, only add to the already indescribable pain being suffered by parents and siblings.

From experience, I can tell you that the families of those who died will check the media for stories/comments.
If you wouldn't say it to the persons face, then please don't type it here, either.

My thoughts and very best wishes are with the families of those involved.

Noreen

Johnny Bitte

Coming from a family that was almost destroyed 10 years ago by a young driver who mowed down 3 relatives caused by speeding on a road he drove regularly, the simple fact of the matter is there is no way of preparing for every possible accident.

The families involved will now be changed forever and will question every decision they made that day and what they could have done differently.

Those that come on boards asking why they don’t pick their kids up from these parties or the like, really should just go back in their hole.

x in the city
I have no sympathy for parents leaving kids of 16 or so cram into a car and leg it home at 7am after a party, an accident waiting to happen.

Your a great one altogether.

hotmail.com
Anyway why didn't the parents collect these teens from the party?

The thing's that I think might actually make a difference other than tv adds that people just ignore are:

• Speed limiters on cars for new/younger driver
• Better education on driving
• More Gardai to inforce the current laws
• Better road conditions

But these will never happen because it simply won't get Cowan or other politicians enough votes to get re-elected. :mad:

My sincerest condolences to all those who knew these chaps and I would highly recommend talking with someone rather than “just getting on with it” like some many do and suffer for it.

furtzy

rounders123 wrote: »

Wasnt even their car according to rte radio1. Apparantly they 'took it' on one of their friends(who wasnt in the car) and the car may have been a garage replacement.
Sounds like the rte were thinly veiling something at this time.

Says the same here....car was a borrowed garage car.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0826/breaking3.html

topper75

Milan Cobian wrote: »

Cycling conditions are as they are precisely because of numbskulls who can't drive driving like they do. It's a vicious circle.
...
A waste of time. We need it on rural back roads, where people actually die. People rarely die on motorways, but they do with sickening regularity on rural back roads. The gardai need to come down hard on rural drivers.
...
As for TV3, tabloid trash TV, if everyone just changes the channel they'll disappear before long.

3 solid points. Totally agree.

Splendour

Extremely sad situation no matter what the cause. My prayers and sympathies are with the families, the pain will be with them forever...

molotov 1939

Terrible tragedy, but a few questions come into my mind.

1. What were they doing on this road at 7 am ?
( Coming from an all-night party according to informed sources. )

2. Did the 17 year -old driver have a full license ?
If not, was he accompanied by a full license holder ?

3. Who owned the car ?

When tragedies like this happen, the details often get disregarded. Perhaps the answerers to these questions might give other drivers pause to think, and could be the basis of interesting conversations over the dinner table.

Highly Salami

I heard on the radio that their journey began at 3am!
they must have been driving from Dublin!

Wibbs

Unsinnig wrote: »

Obviously, my condolenses to the families. A very tragic loss.

That said, I think the problem lies with the way we're taught to drive, not with age, gender, social status et al.

I mean seriously, if 95% of us in incapable of eve parking a car properly, how can we be expected to drive with any modicum of sense? You know it's true. Seriously, how difficult is it to maneuver the car between 2 white lines? 2 fat, white lines, plain to see, yet most people can't do it. Maybe it's not a question of driving ability, but more a quesion of general disrespect for anybody else using the roads.

I think its all sorts of factors. One of the biggest I think is people get too blase about driving. They're overly confident in their own abilities, They're overly confident in the cars safety systems and they simply don't realise how vulnerable they actually are. The safety systems are designed to be effective at remarkably low speeds. 50-60kph for the most part. Now look at video of crash tests and how even at that low speed the car is in bits and the dummies are thrown all over the place and real people would sustain injuries. Next time you're on a 100kph limit B road doing 80kph with oncoming traffic doing similar or higher and think you're safe? Reflect on what are your chances if you lose control or have a head on at a closing speed of 160Kph. Look at what they have to do to rally cars to make them survivable in high speed impacts. Seam welded shells, full roll cages, fire control systems, full 5 point harnesses solidly anchored to the chassis, full face helmets and fire resistant clothing, with highly skilled drivers on closed roads and people still die.

I'm pretty sure if cars were invented today, the requirements for getting a driving licence would be very high, similar to a private pilots licence. Yet pretty much anyone, regardless of ability or even physical fitness can get a licence. And once they pass the test can keep it for life with no retest. I know people who have failed their test over 5 times. In the case of one he failed 6. Just about scraped a pass in the end. IMHO people like that should simply not be on the roads.

And yes, there are way too many boy-racers who think they're hard

Its all too easy to point fingers and yes sometimes people are foolish on the road, but most get away with it and live on past their speed freak years. Some sadly dont. Looking back I wasnt bad, but I had more than a few close calls in my early driving years on roads that were a lot less busy and when rules were even laxer than now. Its more luck than judgement I'm around today.

Noreen1 wrote: »

My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the young people who died, and I hope the survivor makes a good recovery.

Having lost a nephew in a car accident some years ago (he was a pedestrian), I can empathise with the families involved.
Believe me, the sudden death of a young person causes anguish that cannot possibly be imagined in your wildest nightmares, and leaves scars that never heal.
I can also state, truthfully, that some of the comments posted here will cut the feelings of the families involved deeper than any whip!


I cannot understand why people, though well meaning, fail to understand the way their comments affect those who are grieving. Honestly, a kind word at this time pours balm on a wounded heart, if only for a moment. Harsh, judgemental words, only add to the already indescribable pain being suffered by parents and siblings.

From experience, I can tell you that the families of those who died will check the media for stories/comments.
If you wouldn't say it to the persons face, then please don't type it here, either.

My thoughts and very best wishes are with the families of those involved.

Noreen

+1000 to this great post.

x in the city

x in the city wrote: »

I have no sympathy for parents leaving kids of 16 or so cram into a car and leg it home at 7am after a party, an accident waiting to happen.

What were kids of that age even doing at an all night party? My parents would never in a million years have allowed that when I was 15/16, or even 17, and they're not that strict. The main problem seems to be that these kids had no place being out at that time or in a car which didn't even seem to be theirs and which the driver didn't seem to be licensed to drive. That's not a road safety issue, it's a complete lack of common sense/responsibility issue on someone's part. 15 year olds just should not be going to all night parties in the first place.

Manic Preacher

It's not about speed, road conditions or any of the other stuff that's always mentioned.

It's all about testosterone. Testosterone kills and young men are full of the stuff. You can talk all you want about road safety but you're not going to change the chemical make-up of young men. Simple as that.

hotmail.com

Manic Preacher wrote: »

It's not about speed, road conditions or any of the other stuff that's always mentioned.

It's all about testosterone. Testosterone kills and young men are full of the stuff. You can talk all you want about road safety but you're not going to change the chemical make-up of young men. Simple as that.

How do you explain car crash deaths that involve women?

Anna Molly

This is so sad!
I always believed that teenagers in car accidents, usually cause they're acting the twat, deserved it.
However, when it happens to you it's a different kettle of fish.
The poor families and friends...RIP

bigpink

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

When will the Gardaí implement the rules on provisional drivers? When it is too late for yet more families, that is when.

Guards arent babysitters if they break the law thats their problem they shoudnt be drving in the 1st place

bigpink

Losing control at 40 and crashing and Losing control at 80 and crashing are very different
People need to learn the speed is huge factor

bigpink

Noreen1 wrote: »

My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the young people who died, and I hope the survivor makes a good recovery.

Having lost a nephew in a car accident some years ago (he was a pedestrian), I can empathise with the families involved.
Believe me, the sudden death of a young person causes anguish that cannot possibly be imagined in your wildest nightmares, and leaves scars that never heal.
I can also state, truthfully, that some of the comments posted here will cut the feelings of the families involved deeper than any whip!


I cannot understand why people, though well meaning, fail to understand the way their comments affect those who are grieving. Honestly, a kind word at this time pours balm on a wounded heart, if only for a moment. Harsh, judgemental words, only add to the already indescribable pain being suffered by parents and siblings.

From experience, I can tell you that the families of those who died will check the media for stories/comments.
If you wouldn't say it to the persons face, then please don't type it here, either.

My thoughts and very best wishes are with the families of those involved.

Noreen

I can see your point yes no one here is cold hearted.If something is a true freak accident thats alot different to people speeding and making an accident

radical

RIP to all.

I am deeply saddened.

<snip>

MOD NOTE: Speculation not welcome here.

cats.life

what is wrong with you posters? there are four young peolpe lying in coffins this evening and yet ye are posting stuff about how bad young drivers are, this is not going to bring them back. if you knew them you would not be posting like this. i think its cruel the way its being put here blame the driver. go to motoring thread to vent anger on driving. how do we know that any of the cousins of the familys are reading this. sorry mods but im angry at the posters.

ejmaztec

Manic Preacher wrote: »

It's not about speed, road conditions or any of the other stuff that's always mentioned.

It's all about testosterone. Testosterone kills and young men are full of the stuff. You can talk all you want about road safety but you're not going to change the chemical make-up of young men. Simple as that.

Testosterone doesn't make brakes, steering, suspension, or other mechanical components fail!

Micky Dolenz

Some of ye should re-read what ye wrote.

My thoughts are with the effected families, may they some day find comfort.

If ye wish to discuss the driving laws, head over to the Motor Forum.


I'm closing this now.