PARENTS HAVE BEEN warned not to buy scramblers for their children this year after a number of fatal accidents in recent years around the Christmas period.
There have also been a number of anti-social behaviour incidents linked with the bikes and Reilly said that parents should educate themselves more on the vehicles before purchasing them.
She said: “Scramblers and quad bikes are a huge issue across Ballymun and Dublin Northwest as a whole.
“Scrambler and quad bikes are a huge nuisance to communities not to mention the very obvious danger to those using them and other road users.
“Most people are very responsible but unfortunately in some cases they are used by anti social elements to cause havoc in areas.”
Leroy Coyle, 19, died in a scrambler crash on Christmas Day in 2013. The incident happened on the Ballybough Road near Croke Park. In 2015, Warren Kenny, 16, died on Christmas Day after the scrambler he got as a present was involved in a crash in Cherry Orchard, Ballyfermot, west Dublin.
Children as young as five driving
Reilly said she understands that parents are put under pressure at Christmas to buy gifts their children want, but she urged people to reconsider if they are thinking of buying one of the vehicles.
She added: “Unfortunately, over the last number of Christmas periods young people have lost their lives as a result of accidents.
“The gardaí are wisely asking parents to reconsider if they are thinking of buying one of these.
“No one under the age of 16 should be in charge of one of these but that has not been the case. Children as young as five have been seen driving these around estates.”
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