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Donegal's shocking 3,000 collisions 15.10.08

INISHOWEN road safety campaign group PARC has described as "overwhelming" the case for testing drivers for intoxicants at the scene of fatal accidents.
PARC spokesperson Susan Gray was responding to research outlined at an international road safety conference showing that one-in-three crashes were alcohol related and that, in a quarter of all crashes, the driver had consumed alcohol.
Ms Gray said Dr Declan Bedford's research also shows that a quarter of all pedestrian deaths related to their own alcohol intake.
Meanwhile, a survey of public attitudes carried out by PARC in March this year found that 99% of respondents supported a lower alcohol limit for drivers with more than half calling for a zero alcohol limit for drivers.
"PARC is calling on the Minister for Transport to honour his publicly-stated pledge to introduce on-the-spot breath testing of those involved in road crashes. This pledge was made exactly one year ago and was supposed to be introduced within six months," said Ms Gray.
"For victims of road crashes, particularly alcohol-related crashes, this is unacceptable and this life saving measure should be introduced without further delay."
Letterkenny General Hospital A&E consultant Dr Gerry Lane also told the conference that some of the most horrific injuries he and other staff at the hospital saw were the result of car crashes.
Susan Gray
He outlined startling statistics showing there were 3,000 collisions in 2006 in Donegal and more than 1,000 attendances at the emergency department.
He said there were 320 admissions on to the wards and 1,085 bed days used up, not including the deceased and all the "criticals" who were airlifted to other medical centres.
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