A MAN WHO accidentally ran over the body of his girlfriend’s father has been speaking out on road safety.
Michael Jackson, from Mayo, did so while driving a van towards Killala in the north of the county in the early hours of the morning on 10 June last year.
When he felt a slight bump in the road, he thought nothing of it and continued on his drive.
When he eventually pulled in, he noticed some bumper damage on the driver side, and a friend who had been travelling in a separate vehicle also reported feeling a slight bump in the road.
The two men traced back the way they had came and discovered the body of Frankie Bonner – the father of his girlfriend Maggie.
‘I was in total shock’
Speaking on the TV3′s Ireland AM programme, Michael spoke about the incident and the need for late night walkers on Irish roads to wear high visibility jackets.
“I tried to ring the emergency services and I wasn’t able to. My friend had to take the phone off me to ring them because I couldn’t actually think of the number,” he said.
I was in total shock.
Also speaking about the incident on the show was Maggie, Michael’s girlfriend, who said that her father had left the pub at around 2.30am to walk home. She said that the experience has been “just a nightmare”.
Road safety
Also appearing on the programme was representative from the RSA, Noel Higgins, who was there with the couple to encourage people out walking to wear high-visibility clothing.
Speaking on the programme, he said, “It’s so so important to be seen out there if you are walking home. People need to plan before you get out. Even something as small as a Hi Viz arm band in your pocket going out or in your handbag; that will make a huge difference.”
It could be the difference between life and death.
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