On a busy weekend on Irish roads, this will help you stay alert.
Motorists all over Ireland will be able to avail of a free coffee at participating Applegreen stations as part of a safety campaign by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Between 2pm and 8pm on Friday, October 27 and Monday, October 30, the RSA and Applegreen will provide free cups of coffee to drivers at participating service stations.
All motorists have to do is to say ‘RSA’ or ‘Driver Reviver’ to the till operator to avail of a free coffee and you can find a list of participating stations here.
The offer of free coffee is part of a road safety campaign urging pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists to ensure they can clearly see and be seen when out on the roads, particularly relevant with the clocks going back on Saturday night.
Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists have been urged to wear high visibility clothing such as a high visibility vest or a Sam Browne belt, to carry a torch or to ensure they have working lights on their bicycles and motorcycles, particularly on poorly-lit rural roads.
The fixed charge penalty for cycling lighting offences is €40 euro, and €60 for vehicle lighting offences.
Over the past six years, 10 people have been killed and 40 people have been seriously injured over the October Bank Holiday period (data for 2015 and 2016 is provisional and subject to change).
A study conducted by the RSA in November 2016, meanwhile, monitored the high visibility wearing rates of 5,341 motorcyclists and 23,343 pedal cyclists and found that:
- 45% of motorcyclists are most likely to be wearing any form of high visibility Clothing. 32% of all cyclists were wearing any form of high visibility Clothing
- The wearing rate of any form of high visibility clothing for private pedal cyclists was 34% and for public pedal (bike rental scheme) cyclists it was recorded as 21%.
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross TD said: “The evenings are getting darker and particularly so as the clocks are going back this weekend, so it is vital that pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are clearly visible to drivers, especially on dark unlit rural roads. That’s why I would urge people to wear high visibility clothing or carry a torch when out on the road.”
Ms. Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive, RSA added: “Pedestrians and cyclists can be difficult to see in the road traffic, especially at night and in dark weather conditions. Without wearing something reflective a pedestrian or cyclist is only likely to be visible 30 metres away, in low beam headlights.
“By wearing something reflective they become visible at 150 metres away. This gives drivers five times the distance to notice them and, more importantly, to avoid them. There really is no excuse for anyone to be out on the road without a high visibility jacket, especially when you can order one free of charge from the RSA website.”
