Safety appeal issued to candidates over election posters

MAYO County Council's road safety office has issued an appeal to those contesting the upcoming elections both local and European elections, when erecting election posters and the placement of mobile advertisement boards.

With a change in the weather over the next few days the office has urged candidates not to hang banners and posters from road overbridges and pedestrian bridges, as they could become loose, be interfered with by third parties, and could fall onto fast-moving traffic.

Some areas have come to agreement with election candidates not to erect election posters.

Driver distraction has a negative impact on road safety and so only essential signage should appear.

Said Noel Gibbons, road safety officer: “There is a safety issue connected to the erection and removal of posters etc. particularly those which are inappropriately sited also for personnel erecting the posters to wear Hi Viz.

“A build-up of election material can often have a negative visual impact on the general amenity of roads with possible safety implications for drivers and pedestrians.Traffic and road signs are specifically designed to be clearly read by passing road users, those erecting posters near junctions should ensure they are not blocking road users’ sightlines.

“Election candidates tend to place their posters in areas which are crucial to road users such as on roundabouts, statutory road signs, directional signs, traffic light poles, STOP or Yield signs or other crucial areas.

“We can appreciate that candidates need to get their posters out there and in the best possible areas, but by placing them in these areas, this can lead to problems for road users, such as vision impairment, obstruction or distraction, which could lead to a collision.

“So in the interest of road safety I am appealing to candidates to be conscious of where posters are placed and please ensure that they are not placed in hazardous areas.

"Among the signs that should not be obscured are those relating to speed limits, junction warnings, road works, and directions. We have received complaints in the past that election posters have obscured road traffic signs.

"If people cannot see these signs then that is compromising road safety. Nothing should distract the attention of drivers or interfere with their line of sight. This is potentially very dangerous.

"The signage on our roads, whether put there by the TII, local authorities, gardai or construction and road repair teams, is there to help motorists stay safe.”