FR. Charlie McDonnell, Administrator, Westport, in association with Mayo County Council, An Garda Síochána, and the Archdiocese, performed the blessing of the roads outside St. Mary's Church, Westport, on Easter Sunday morning.

The campaign comes after gardaí had expressed serious concern over a rise in road deaths in the west over the past two years, which runs contrary to the downward trend nationally.

Single-vehicle crashes involving male drivers in random locations constituted the largest number of fatalities in the region last year, and overall deaths in the region had risen from a low in 2010.

Speeding in 80km/h and 100km/h zones had been identified as a major factor in fatalities in the west.

A special Blessing of the Roads ceremony took place in many parishes and services throughout the county on Easter Sunday as religious leaders back the campaign to make the roads safer.

Mr. Noel Gibbons, road safety officer with Mayo County Council, said: “The community makes improved road safety a goal in an effort to ensure that the grief associated with loss of life or serious injury does not come to them.

“This is not the first year we have done the Blessing of the Roads ceremony in Mayo and we have get a very enthusiastic response.

“There are still too many drivers under the impression that an accident won’t happen to them.”

Mr. Martin Cashen, regional traffic inspector, said: “An Garda Síochána appeal to all road users to think safety every time they use the public roads and streets.

“We urge families to discuss the topic so that parents and guardians assume and accept responsibility to alert their sons and daughters of their obligation to drive within all legal boundaries.

“In circumstances where parents have supported their child with a means of transport or insurance there should be conditions attached to the use of such vehicle including the legal obligations on young permit holder drivers.”

Tuam Archdiocese spokesperson Fr. Fintan Monaghan said the church was fully behind the campaign, adding: “We all need to play our part to reduce the number of road deaths. The trauma of road crashes to families and communities is devastating.

“A major focus of the campaign is to promote the issue of driver fatigue, drink-driving and speeding, as well as praying for the safety of not only all road users, but our gardaí and emergency services.”