Council Issues Road Safety Advice as Clocks go Forward this Weekend

Date: 24-03-2021

Summer Time arrives as the clocks go forward an hour on Sunday, March 28 2021 at 1am.

So as the country prepares to “spring forward” – and with the Easter school holidays- March 29 to April 12 – road safety professionals in County Councils across the Country are reminding drivers to take extra care on the roads as children begin to play out in the evenings and more will be out walking and cycling.

“It’s that time of year when the county’s children traditionally start to come out of hibernation,” says Noel Gibbons road safety officer Communications department Mayo County Council.

“They’ve spent the wet winter months cooped up indoors and even more so with Covid19 restrictions, with the arrival of the lighter evenings will be raring to be off and out, making the most of that extra daylight.

“With that in mind, all road users need to take extra care, not just on main roads but in built-up residential areas and anywhere where there might be an attraction for children, such as parks or green areas,”.

Motorists are advised to:

Be aware of children using roads, both as cyclists and as pedestrians
Watch out for children attempting to cross between parked cars
Watch out for children playing around parks and open spaces and remember that they can become easily distracted

Parents are asked to:

Remind their child to give the road their full attention
Ensure they choose a safe place to play – not the road
Ensure their child is familiar with the route they will be taking and the safer crossing places available
Make sure they take off headphones and not use their mobile phones when crossing the road
Ensure they wear a cycle helmet and light/bright clothing when cycling.