Irish campaign encourages drivers to ‘reverse in’

A new campaign in County Mayo, Ireland, encourages drivers to ‘reverse in, drive out’ in a bid to avoid the risk of a child being run over in the driveway of the family home.

The message is being promoted to all drivers and to major employers in order to get them to encourage the practice among their drivers.

Mayo County Council says that seven people were killed and 348 injured in reversing incidents on Irish roads in the period 2007/2011. Analysis of fatal accident statistics in Ireland also shows that reversing played a role in 11% of all fatal workplace transport incidents.

Noel Gibbons, Mayo’s RSO, said: “Reverse parking improves the driver’s view when pulling out of parking spaces.

“It’s safer for passengers as they face the footpath when getting out of a car. It’s also easier to access a car boot from the footpath rather than standing in the road, and it greatly reduces conflict with cyclists.”

Contact Noel Gibbons for more information.