‘People don't get charged with dangerous use of a gun': campaigner calls for ‘vehicular manslaughter' to replace dangerous driving offences

Irish Independent

3 days ago

Leo Lieghio, a spokesperson with the Irish Road Victims Association, lost his 16-year-old daughter Marsia almost 20 years ago in Clondalkin in Dublin.
The driver who knocked her down failed to remain at the scene.
Several days later in Belfast, the same driver knocked down an 18-year-old pedestrian who was seriously injured. She served a prison term of 10 months for having no road tax and insurance in relation to Marsia's death. She died several years later.
After a spate of deaths on Irish roads in ­recent weeks, Mr Lieghio is calling for tougher laws and sentencing to be imposed.
'Careless and dangerous driving offences need to be replaced by a crime such as ­vehicular manslaughter. A person who uses a knife or a gun to shoot someone is never charged with careless or dangerous use of a knife or gun — it's manslaughter or murder. The same should be applied to driving offences in some cases,' said Mr Lieghio.
He said tougher sanctions promised several years ago need to be introduced now.
'There are no such things as accidents as 99.9pc of them are avoidable. They are collisions. I have to campaign for tougher road laws and to educate young drivers, but I shouldn't have to.'
So far this year 100 people have died on Irish roads, according to the latest garda statistics, with a rise in the number of ­vulnerable road users being killed. This year so far, 38 drivers, nine passengers, 23 pedestrians, 18 motorcyclists, one pillion passenger, nine cyclists and two e-scooter riders have been killed.
Pedestrians accounted for nearly a quarter of road deaths so far this year. While motorcycles represent just 1.4pc of all licensed Irish road vehicles, motorcyclist fatalities made up 18pc of deaths.
Overall, road users aged 16 to 25 years have represented the largest proportion of fatalities (26pc) and serious injuries (22pc) in recent years.
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As long as people have cars that can be driven at fast speeds, people will speed
The stricter rules Mr Lieghio would like to see date back to when Shane Ross was Minister for Transport.
Mr Ross received cabinet approval for graduated speeding penalties but they were never introduced. Ministers agreed to the proposals, which seek to impose more severe sanctions on motorists who have exceeded the speed limit by greater amounts.
Mr Lieghio said questions have to be asked as to why these penalties were never enacted.
'Our various governments and road safety organisations need to act now and introduce stricter legislation instead of putting it off. All of the road deaths are preventable and speed limits need to be lowered also, down to 30kmh where appropriate. As long as people have cars that can be driven at fast speeds, people will speed,' he said.
'Car manufacturers should not be able to produce cars that are capable of going ­excess speeds, that's where road safety should first start.
'Alcohol interlocking systems on cars should be introduced here as they are in other EU countries. There are also more ­advanced drug-driving test methods available which should be here. GPS monitoring is also an option on cars along with scrapping the overriding option on engine speed limiters.'
What is also needed is more respect by every road user for one another
Mr Lieghio, a native of Dublin who lives in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, said for his family life will 'never be the same again'.
'It devastated us all and the years since have been tough.'
He now visits secondary schools and third-level institutions as part of the Axa Roadsafe Roadshow in conjunction with local authorities nationwide.
'I speak about what happened to ­Marsia and how taking a car safety pledge is so ­important. Women seem to listen more and now hopefully we are getting through to young men.
'What is also needed is more respect by every road user for one another, more ­education and dedicated broadcast and print campaigns dedicated to pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists.
'But there seems to be inaction by the authorities here, especially learning from other countries and how they deal with road deaths.
'There was a world conference on road safety in Morocco last year and not one ­government minister or related body attended except ourselves. So where is the commitment from regulator bodies to tackle road deaths?'
In a statement to the Sunday Independent, the Road Safety Authority said it is 'deeply concerned by the continuing loss of life on our roads, particularly among our most vulnerable road users. Every life lost represents a family, a community, and an irreplaceable human tragedy.'
It added that the number of pedestrians killed is 'troubling and highlights the increased risks facing those on foot. These fatalities span all age groups, ­underlining that this is not a risk confined to any one demographic'.
The Department of Transport was also contacted for comment.