Grieving daughter issues hi viz plea to holiday socialisers
A GRIEVING daughter and her boyfriend whose families were “torn apart” when her father was killed when walking home at night have launched a May bank holiday campaign to urge all people who plan on heading out to socialise to plan a safe lift home and also the importance of wearing Hi Viz jackets.
Michael Jackson, a Mayo man. recalled how he accidentally drove over the body of his girlfriend’s father as he drove towards Killala, Co. Mayo, in the early hours of the morning.
The tragic circumstances of the death of Francis ‘Frankie’ Bonner from Ballycastle, Co. Mayo, happened on June 10, 2014.
Michael Jackson recalls how he unsuspectingly drove over Mr. Bonner’s body while travelling towards Killala shortly after 3 a.m. Mr. Jackson's vehicle was the second vehicle to have passed without noticing Mr. Bonner on the road. Mr Bonner, a retired fisherman and native of Donegal, was the father of his girlfriend, Maggie.
Mr. Jackson had been working on a van and were returning the van to Killala when the incident occurred. Mr Jackson, who was driving in his van, recalled noticing something on the road, which he tried to avoid but felt a slight bump.
When he stopped his van in Killala, he noticed the bumper was broken on the driver’s side. When he returned towards Ballycastle, he came across what he had hit and realised it was a body and called the emergency services.
By wearing Hi viz vests, all pedestrians will increase their chances of been seen by motorists or organise a lift or taxi home, families would not have to live with this terrible pain.
Both campaigners, Michael Jackson and Maggie Bonner, have advised people to give their journeys home after a night-out more thought.
The biggest issue with walking after consuming alcohol is that they would be over what we would call the drink-drive limit. It would impair them enough so they can’t see very clearly, they wouldn’t have a good sense of judgment.
Noel Gibbons, Mayo road safety officer, said: “Research revealed by the RSA show two thirds of pedestrians killed on Irish roads had been drinking and 50 per cent of them were three times over the legal drinking limit.
'The aim of the campaign is to get those who walk home after drinking to realise the danger they’re putting themselves in, when you have consumed alcohol, your coordination, focus, motor skills and awareness of your surroundings are all impaired. Impairing these faculties makes you as exposed as you can be on the road.
“In particular we want people to sort their lift home before heading out to go drinking.”
Added Michael Jackson and Maggie Bonner: 'We want to remind everyone to enjoy and stay safe this May bank holiday and keep a look out for their friends on a night out to ensure everyone gets home safely.'