AA urging motorists to turn ‘Fatal Friday’ into ‘Safe Friday’

By Dan O’Neill

Gardai have this week highlighted Friday as the most dangerous day of the week on the roads and AA Roadwatch is appealing for motorists to take extreme care.

Dubbed ‘Fatal Friday’ by the Gardai, statistics show that almost one quarter of road fatalities in 2013 have occurred on a Friday, this accounts for 21 out of  the 91 road deaths to date.

So before taking to the roads today, make sure your car is in proper working order. Check your tyres for tread depth and pressure and don’t forget to have a look at your spare too. Don’t forget to look under the bonnet to make sure you have enough oil, water and washer fluid.

Get some help from a friend or family member to check that your car lights are all working aswell. With further rain expected to dampen our weekend, it’s a good idea to make sure your window wipers are clean and functioning correctly. Remember they should be replaced once a year.

Rain is forecast from today until Monday and is expected to spread across the country this afternoon and evening. We’ve been quite lucky of late as it has remained dry but it’s important to remember that when rain falls on very dry surfaces it is even more slippery than usual. Make sure you take your time to reach your destination, slow down and stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

Be patient with other road users and make sure everyone in your vehicle wears their seatbelt. It goes without saying, don’t use your phone while driving and never ever drink and drive.

Let us all make a collective effort to turn ‘Fatal Friday’ into ‘Safe Friday’.