Road Crash Pensioner Victim Is Named

The police in the North have released the name of the elderly woman who died following a road accident in Poyntzpass, Co Armagh, on Monday afternoon.

She was identified last night as Josephine Anne Campbell, 70, from the Poyntzpass area.

The PSNI said that a 56-year-old man was also seriously injured in the crash on the Newry Road in which two vehicles were involved.

Elsewhere, the East Belfast Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has expressed shock and sadness at news that a man in his 80s was injured in a road accident on the Woodstock Road in the east of the city on Tuesday evening.

Chris Lyttle MLA said: "This is very sad news. I hope that the man who was injured makes a very swift recovery and I want to let him know that my thoughts are with him and his family following this accident.

"Last week there was the extremely tragic news that a woman died after a road accident in East Belfast and now we have this terrible news of another accident in the area."

On Monday, the NI Environment Minister Alex Attwood launched the start of Road Safety Week.

The SDLP Minister Alex Attwood said: "So far this year 49 people have been killed and my thoughts are with each of those bereaved families. Every death has tragic consequences. As road users, we each have a responsibility to do what we can to remain safe."

The Minister added: "Over the last decade, deaths have steadily declined. However, the brutal reality of road death is that normality can turn to tragedy in an instant. The anguish and grief that comes with it reminds us that we must never, ever drop our guard.

"I implore everyone to always pay attention, slow down, wear your seatbelt and avoid driving when over-tired. Never ever drink and drive or drive if drugs have been consumed. Pedestrians should always use footpaths, where possible, and wear bright or fluorescent clothing at night," he said.

Road Safety Week is a series of events supported by DOE as well as PSNI, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Brake UK and others will raise awareness of how dangerous our roads are.

Last year on Northern Ireland's roads 55 people lost their lives, the lowest figure on record since records began in 1931. This was a decrease from 115 fatalities in 2009.

(BMcC/GK)