A young woman was dragged into the middle of a roundabout during a hit-and-run collision in Ennis, Co Clare on Wednesday, March 15.
According to two local media outlets, the incident happened between 5.25pm and 5.40pm at the Dunnes / Friars Walk roundabout, also known as the Glór roundabout.
Local Gardaí are seeking witnesses or those with camera footage to come forward.
The Clare Champion quoted Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks: “A young lady was cycling her bike on the roundabout and was struck by a vehicle that was coming from the Temple Gate side. She was dragged into the middle of the roundabout and the vehicle left in the direction of Dunnes Stores towards Station Road.”
Gardai described the car as a small black Ford Focus 2005 to 2011 model with an L or N plate in the rear window.
Sergeant Brooks added: “Thankfully the young lady wasn’t seriously injured in the incident but was hurt and shaken. The Roads Policing Unit are asking anyone who witnessed this hit and run or anyone that may have camera or dash cam footage to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100.”
This incident illustrates, once again, the Government’s irresponsible promotion of using bicycles to go about one’s daily business.
Until there is a concerted effort to construct best practice state of the art road infrastructure that protects the vulnerable, we will continue to see deaths and serious injuries on our road ways.
Prior to such a project, and whilst implementing such a project, policing of roads needs to be ungraded to high profile as part of a programme to change the driving culture, from one that is blasé to one that respects vulnerable road users.
Surely this will happen considering the RSA’s Vision Zero targets.
In response to Dónal, it would be nice to think that the government’s #VisionZero strategy (2021-’30) had any real impetus behind it other than the clapped out business as usual in relation to driving standards.
The departments of Transport and Justice still can’t manage to link court ordered disqualifications to the driver record at point of decision in the courts.
We have a police service with a recruitment/retention issue. A roads policing service that is institutionally blind to the real road safety needs of bike users and pedestrians, believing that handing out hi-vis vests is a major contribution to safety of children and bike users.
I call it #ZeroVision.
What this “illustrates” is the criminal/psychotic attitude of a significant amount of car-drivers. That’s what it obviously illustrates.