Cork County Council Host Schools Road Safety Event at Cork Racecourse Mallow

Members of Cork County Fire Service, The National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and road safety advocates at a road safety promotion event at Cork Racecourse, Mallow.

More than 700 students from seven secondary schools in the North Cork region have attended a road safety promotion event at Cork Racecourse, Mallow.

The event was the second in a series of multi schools events organised by Cork County Council in collaboration with Cork County Fire Service, The National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and road safety advocates.

The transition and fifth year students heard personal stories from Mark Dalton, a 23-year-old man who suffered serious life-changing injuries after a crash and Leo Lieghio, a father whose daughter was killed in a road traffic incident.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said, 

These events are invaluable as they demonstrate the real-life impacts of a road traffic accident.  Lives can change in the blink of any eye, and I commend Mark and Leo for so bravely sharing their personal stories with the students.   With 60 of the 174 people tragically lost on Irish roads last year under the age of 25, these events highlight the importance of educating young people on responsible road use and the dangers of driver distraction and speeding.

An interview with Cork County Council Fire Service and the National Ambulance Service gave insights into what happens when the pager goes off and how the teams respond to road traffic incidents and their aftermath.  Each service outlined their role in responding and what it feels like on a personal level for them as individuals.  An Garda Siochana facilitated an excellent workshop on the LifeSaver Project for students. The event also included an outdoor demonstration showing what happens at the scene of a road traffic collision with all services working together.

Sargent John Horgan, Mallow Garda Station said “This was a great opportunity to deliver the Lifesaver Project on behalf of An Garda Siochana.  The messages were reaffirmed by Guest Speakers, Mark and Leo.  It was heartening to see the positive feedback and genuine empathy from the students who are the young motorists of the future.”

Thie event is part of a series of Cork County Council countywide multi-school events with more to follow this Autumn.