'Cardboard' Gardaí Rejected

Donegal has ruled out the possibility of following in the steps of some other areas and won't be installing wooden cut outs of Gardaí on roads, to deter speeding motorists.

While Kildare County Council have taken its own 'two-dimensional' approach to tackling speeding by putting a life size cutout of a Gardaí car on roadsides, Donegal County Council have confirmed they will be continuing to use the media, leaflets and posters as a way of delivering their message.

While Kildare County Council has deemed a success its use of fake wooden squad cars on roadways with their first dummy patrol in place on Saturday morning on the N78 at Fontstown, between Athy and Kilcullen, and even though both Road Safety Officers of Sligo County Council and Kildare County Council and their opposite number in Donegal are to meet next week to discuss the initiative, Donegal is just not 'cut out' for such a scheme.

This is in spite of Kildare's Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh noting that the €1,800 life size cut out has been such a success that the Council is to invest in two more of the 'cardboard' squad cars.

From a distance motorists hopefully react by slowing down when they see what they believe to be a Gardaí car, he said.

Road Safety Officer with Sligo County Council Val Baynes said he's intrigued by the initiative and plans to meet with Mr Keogh next week in order to tease out the idea more, but Donegal Road Safety Officer Eamonn Brown said the Council 'Says No' and hasn't any plans to consider this initiative.

He says the Donegal Road Safety Working Group co-ordinate six campaigns per year focused on the 'killer behaviours' of drink driving, speeding, non wearing of seatbelt, fatigue and be safe be seen.

It has also emerged that Leitrim Road Safety Officer Brian Sweeney said his Council has no plans to roll out this initiative at the moment but said, "he will keep the matter under review".

Meanwhile, another road safety matter is to be addressed with representatives from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) meeting in Donegal today in a bid to put an end to the much-maligned practice of roadside trading of cars.

The so-called 'road-side showrooms' have come in for severe criticism from motor industry representatives and the problem is said to be most common in Donegal and in Mayo.

Tom Cullen, of the SIMI has been meeting with garage owners, the police and council representatives in Donegal to underline that it is the safe way to sell your car is not by the side of the road.

See: Garda Taking Flat Approach To Speeding

(BMcC)