'It's not your story to tell' - Irish road victims group calls for end to crash scene videos
Taking to social media to issue their plea, the IRVA had very powerful words for people who continue to share crash scenes of accidents that happen on the country's roads.
It's not your story to tell, its not 'content' and it's not 'entertainment'. The Irish Road Victims Association has sent a very powerful message to the general public to stop the practice of filming accident sites and images of crashes. Pic: Getty Images
'It may be someone's worst day, or someone's last day'.
The IRVA says when you livestream or share photos from a crash, you are effectively stripping people of their dignity, risking families seeing the footage or images before they have been officially told of the accident, and you cause untold trauma to loved ones of the victims.
The IRVA added 'If you wouldn't want your family to find out this way, don't do it to someone else's. Taking to social media to issue their plea, the IRVA had very powerful words for people who continue to share crash scenes of accidents that happen on the country's roads. Pic: Shutterstock
Don't film, don't share, report the incident and step back.
The organisation hopes this new campaign will make people think twice about using their mobile phones for anything other than calling the emergency services at the scene of an accident.
Early in 2025, it was reported that the number of road deaths is down 4% over the last year. The IRVA says when you livestream or share photos from a crash, you are effectively stripping people of their dignity, risking families seeing the footage or images before they have been officially told of the accident, and you cause untold trauma to loved ones of the victims. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Figures indicate 174 people died in 160 collisions in 2024, down from 181 deaths in 170 collisions in 2023.
It comes as the Government's Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 50% by 2030.
The Government is also aiming to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries in Ireland by the year 2050.
The figures were published by the Road Safety Authority following an analysis from provisional fatal collision reports from An Garda Síochána.
They reveal a high proportion of male fatalities and people aged 25 and under, as well as a high number of fatalities in the evening between 4pm and 8pm.
Meanwhile, the highest number of deaths (23) was in Dublin, followed by Cork (19), Mayo (19) and Donegal (17).
Sam Waide, chief executive of the RSA, said: 'Despite this profound loss, the reduction in the number of fatalities this year is a very modest but important step in reversing the high number of road deaths we've seen over the past two years,' he said.
'This progress underscores the urgency to intensify our efforts. To truly turn the tide, as part of the Government's Road Safety Strategy, we must harness more technology, deliver impactful awareness campaigns and continue road safety education, to create a safer future.'
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Extra.ie
2 days ago
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2 days ago
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