Brave words need to be heeded by all road users

Editorial Department • Published 12 Jan 2012 13:00 0 Comments

When we see some of the shocking scenes from recent road safety TV advertisements, we remind ourselves that the roles in the scenes are played by actors.

But in the latest road safety campaign launched to-day, survivors and families of victims of road accidents tell their own harrowing stories. And a young Enniskillen man is one of them.

Melvyn Bussell recounts the day in May 2002 when he crashed his car at 100mph. He had been drinking and was not wearing his seatbelt. He ignored advice not to drive and now pays the penalty. He suffered a serious brain injury and needs the help of his mother, Dawn.

Through his mother, he tells viewers, "People need to understand it's not just their life that crashes," noting how it affects everyone in their family too.

Others taking part includes a young woman who was a rear seat passenger but not wearing a seat belt. All those wearing belts survived uninjured but she has now been left a paraplegic for life. The stories of two other victims of road crashes who died, one a pedestrian and the other the driver of a car in a single vehicle accident, are told by their parents who are devastated by their losses.

As one parent said, "Young people need to know that they are not invincible. It can happen to them. You need to be ready for the unexpected."

This latest shocking advertisement on our TV screens from tonight, feature real people who have paid the price for their actions, innocently or otherwise.

The advertisement might be shocking but we need something to convince road users of the potential danger on our roads. Last year 59 people died in road accidents, marginally up on the 2010 figure of 55.

Already this year, less than two weeks into 2012, two people have died on our roads resulting in more grieving families and communities. We need to stop this now and the more preventative measures we can take the better.

Brave words from those who survived horrific crashes need to be heeded by us all, whether motorist or pedestrian.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 12 Jan 12

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