Wexford Senior Hurling Manager, Davy Fitzgerald

WEXFORD SENIOR Hurling Manager Davy Fitzgerald is urging young men not to drink and drive, as figures released recently show that almost one-in-three people killed on Irish roads in 2014 had alcohol in their system at the time of their deaths.

Figures highlighted in a report released recently by An Garda Síochána show that some 31 per cent of those who died on the roads in that year had consumed alcohol prior to driving.

Examinations of the toxicology reports of those killed on the roads in 2014 also found that some 96 per cent of the driver / motorcycle riders positive for alcohol were male.

Commenting on the findings, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, said: “while the findings of this report are very disappointing, I welcome their publication as they highlight the fact that we continue to have an unhealthy relationship in this country with alcohol and it’s spilling onto our roads.

“If’s further evidence, if it were needed, that action must be taken to stop people getting behind the wheel of a car, or getting onto a motorcycle, having consumed alcohol.”

A bill set to be introduced by Minister Ross in the near future will legislate for the introduction of an automatic disqualification for all drivers found to have been drinking with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol in their blood.

Read more in the Wexford Echo.