A Mayo View: Safety on our roads has descended to a frightening new low

Reckless driving standards which place the lives of law-abiding motorists at increasing risk has been a moot point for many years.

But few had fully realised that they had declined to such an extent that some young motorists are prepared to drive down the wrong lane of a motorway as part some outrageous social media video fad.

One such recent incident led to the needless loss of five young lives and the infliction of serious injuries, some critical, to four others who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The incident has opened up a huge national debate with Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher stating deliberately driving down the wrong side of a motorway is ‘akin to attempted murder’.

The MEP for Ireland South said existing legal framework for dealing with ‘willfully negligent driving such as driving down the wrong side of the motorway’ is not fit for purpose, demanding legislation should be amended to reflect the seriousness of such crimes.

At the same time social media platforms have a lot to answer for in respect of promoting an environment in which totally irresponsible driving is glorified by the sharing of online videos and making it all seem okay when it's anything but.

There is enough danger on our roads already without such over-the-top, daredevil antics taking hold.

Surely the recent tragic loss of young lives, the suffering by their families and the trauma endured by the innocent victims of this shocking driving behaviour will bring the irresponsible to their senses.

Billy Kelleher is right, a car is a lethal weapon when it is driven in a manner that places the lives of other road users at serious risk - and this is happening at so many levels on a daily basis, albeit not to the extent as recently witnessed on the M9 and M50.

In the current environment, all motorists in this nation must surely re-evaluate their driving habits with the emphasis on protecting their own safety at every turn of the road.

Sadly, it has become somewhat of a jungle out there and we need to be braced for every eventuality.