AN AMERICAN FLIGHT attendant died in a head-on traffic collision in Kilkenny when she found herself on the wrong side of a road she did not realise was two way – a location where several serious incidents had previously taken place, and where safety improvements have since been made.

Christine Woodford, 45, an American flight attendant from McFarland, Wisconsin, was travelling to Kilkenny city early on the morning of 23 October 2022 with her friend Rita Klinzing in a rental Toyota Yaris car they collected from Dublin Airport that morning.

The pair had plans to get breakfast and visit Kilkenny castle. They crashed with a Peugeot van head on at around 7.30 am on the N10 at Templemartin between the Hebron Road Roundabout and the M9 motorway.

Christine was pronounced dead at the scene, her friend Rita survived. She told an inquest yesterday that the road was “confusing” and that they didn’t know if they were in two-way traffic or not.

Garda Inspector Paul Donohoe from the Waterford, Kilkenny Carlow Divisional Roads Policing Unit told the inquest that multiple deaths and crashes resulting in serious injuries have occurred in the same area of road in Templemartin. He added that prior to Christine’s death there had already been significant conversations about changes that might be needed. After this fatal collision, following “heated” discussions, it was agreed that a number of changes would be made in collaboration with the Road Safety Authority of Ireland, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

There are now a series of illuminated signs involved that let drivers know they are merging onto a two-way carriageway – which are translated into several languages for the benefit of tourists.

Donohoe noted that previous to these changes, several serious road incidents involved tourists.

A statement from Christine’s friend Rita, who survived the collision, was read out in Coroner Timothy Kiely’s courtroom in Kilkenny city yesterday morning.

There was a yellow thunderstorm warning in place that morning, and it was raining heavily and consistently. Rita said that it was still dark outside that morning when they arrived at Dublin Airport at around 5.15 am, and it remained dark and raining for the duration of the journey until the crash.

Rita said that they were using Google Maps to navigate. She said that the car merged onto a “weird road” after taking the exit for Kilkenny and it was “confusing” as to whether they were in a “two way traffic”.

“I looked down at my phone, and then I heard Christine screaming “Oh my God”,” Rita said of the moments before the impact.

The car crashed into a small white Peugeot van that was being driven by Joe McCarthy from New Ross, Co Wexford. He was seriously injured, and was carrying no passengers.

Retired Garda Sergeant Pat Baldwin told the court that he carried out an investigation of the vehicles involved at the crash site and at a later date in greater detail. Both were in good condition and no mechanical defects appeared to have contributed to this crash.

Garda Claire Deen told the inquest she was dispatched to the scene that Sunday morning at 7 am, and it was still dark when she arrived, with the only lights being those of the vehicles present. She said Christine Woodford appeared lifeless, while Rita Klinzing, the passenger, was alive but seriously injured and was being attended by members of the public on the side of the road, including a nurse who had been on her way to work. They had covered her in jackets to keep her warm.

She said Joe McCarthy appeared to be in a critical condition.

Deen followed Rita to the hospital in the hopes of acquiring a DNA sample, where the woman was admitted to the ICU in a critical condition. Hospital staff advised that as Rita was scheduled for emergency abdominal surgery, she should not yet be told of Christine’s death.

Eoghan Kelly of Dunmore East, Co Waterford, witnessed the collision on his way to a job.
He said that Christine appeared to be driving at roughly 60 kpm.

“The way she went into that lane, I actually thought it was still a motorway, I had overtaken her and passed by, I saw a white van pass by me, and only then did I realised that I was on a dual carriageway and she was on the wrong lane – very quickly – I heard the collision happen.

“There were no other cars along. I couldn’t see them clearly [in my rearview]. I needed to turn back towards the motorway. I pulled into the hard shoulder.. I saw the head of the female driver resting.. I felt she was deceased. I can’t say why other than instinct,” he said.

Kelly called the Gardaí. A short while later he heard a female voice coming from the passenger side of the Yaris, a woman inside the car was calling out to other members of the public who had stopped to help. The airbags had obscured his view of the inside of the car, and he had not realised there was a surviving passenger in the vehicle.

Kelly said that he travels the road regularly, so the exit was not confusing for him, but he could see how it would have been for unfamiliar tourists. He noted that the bollards indicating the end of the motorway have been extended, the road markings have been changed, and signs are now in place informing people that they are in two-way traffic.

He said that the road is now improved and less confusing.

John Coughlan, Garda Forensic Investigator, said that the results of a post-mortem showed that no ethanol or drugs were in Christine’s system, and that she died due to a combination of fatal injuries, including to her spine.
Coroner Tim Kiely concluded that Christine’s death was accidental, and a result of multiple fatal injuries including the complete fracture of her spine.

He wished Joe McCarthy a speedy recovery, and said that now that the road has been changed, accidents like this one will hopefully be avoided in the future.

The coroner said it was terrible that Rita and Christine’s trip ended so tragically.