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THREE OF THE four people who were killed in incidents involving quad bikes or scramblers in recent years were aged 18 or under, new figures reveal.
The provisional figures were published today by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), who along with the gardaí are appealing to parents not to gift them to their children this Christmas.
The figures show that between 2014 and 2017 there were 39 people killed or injured in collisions involving a quad bike or scrambler on a public road.
A total of 16 of these people (41%) were aged 18 years or under. Four people died in the incidents in this period, with three of the people killed aged 18 or under.
The RSA and the gardaí have launched a new public awareness campaign to highlight the dangers posed by quad bikes and scramblers.
Transport Minister Shane Ross said that the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes was a “public safety issue across Ireland and we can see the disastrous impact this can have on families and the wider community”.
“The repercussions of anti-social behaviour arising from the use of these vehicles can be very serious resulting in injuries and fatalities.
That is why my Department is working with the Department of Justice and Equality, An Garda Síochána and the RSA to urgently address this issue.
Also commenting, Moyagh Murdock, CEO of the RSA said that quad bikes and scramblers were “not toys”.
“They are intended to be driven by people who firstly inform themselves of the risk they pose and who are aware of the need for care particularly when driving on uneven ground,” she said.
“Scramblers are also a big problem in the hands of inexperienced and mostly unsupervised children, who are riding them around housing estates, local parks and on the public road, often with no protective clothing whatsoever.
If you’re planning to gift a quad bike or scrambler this Christmas, please reconsider. If it’s the thought that counts, please think again.
What the f@ck is going on with the judicial system in this country??
No idea but the article is about Bangor, Co. Down where a different judicial system is in operation.
True enough but still a joke.
Look at how long it took them to pass legislation on “online grooming”. It’s difficult to criminalise behaviour that’s indicative of future crimes without the actual commission of the crime, total legal quagmire.
The simple fact he was detained and only released under bail conditions for vaguely defined “suspicious approaches” is a result of expanded child protection laws, of which the North has more stringent ones than we do.
I’d like to know what the charges would be if prosecution went ahead. Also, what are the bail conditions? Hopefully stringent enough so he can be charged if and/or when he breaks them, and it’s not a matter of waiting for him to commit a more easily prosecutable crime.
Our judicial system is as bad if not worse
Ffs. ..another one loose again
Nutcracker the only job for that animal
Hopefully his file rather than been passed to the courts office makes its way in a brown envelope out the back door and to a group of lads that will have a chat with him that involves a coal bag full of chimney cleaning rods,
Coming out of chimney sweeping season! Another career could be better
A year or so ago, there was an alert about a strange man approaching children outside our local school.
When the panic and lynch mob calmed down, it transpired the man had learning difficulties and was simply lonely and could relate to children more than adults.
It is right that we are all vigilant and that we get police to investigate matters, but let’s slow down with the fire torches and pitchforks and let our justice system deal with it calmly
Once upon a long ago, a certain loyalist paramilitary group, well known for being strongly connected to certain child abusers, ran the Kilcooley estate.
Must still be in charge.
He’s released on bail with severe conditions I presume.Its incredible.
That’s good thinking wait until he assaults or kills some child then arrest him . I will never understand the system
His mind set he is going to be locked up anyway with this in mind he could strike again with terrible consequences for some family . Very risky to release him.
That’s sounds about right
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