C103 and IBI Road Safety Campaign - Episode 2

This Independent Boradcasters of Ireland (IBI) initiative is supported by the News Reporting Scheme, which helps fund public interest journalism content through Coimisiún na Meán and the Exchequer

With the October bank holiday and Halloween approaching - historically high-risk periods marked by surging traffic volumes - the second installment of a major six-month nationwide road safety initiative shifts its focus to preventative measures and driver responsibility.

Host Patricia Messenger opens with the grim toll on Irish roads, noting that 149 families have already lost loved ones in 2026. Over the course of the broadcast, Patricia explores road behaviours, enforcement, and road safety education with Ken Perrott of the C103 Street Fleet, Dervla O’Brien, CEO of Drinkaware, and Garda James Masters of Cobh Garda Station.

Reporting from daily travels across Cork’s busy commuter routes, Ken Perrott offers an unfiltered assessment of current driving standards: " I tell you what, Patricia, buckle in, because I’m going to have a rant here now. It is absolutely terrible .". Ken pointed to rampant mobile phone use as the leading cause of driver distraction: " Phones are the obvious enemy... people don’t care if the phone isn’t in their hand, they have to do it. "

He highlights that despite modern vehicle infotainment systems, motorists routinely handle their devices. He recounts observing a motorist earlier that morning watching YouTube or Netflix in active traffic, moving only after being honked at. In his view, habitual offenders are simply biding time until an incident: "Your name is in the queue for someone who’s going to have an accident."

To tackle this behaviour, Ken advocates for proactive educational reform over mere penalty enforcement: "I magine if the RSA brought in a system where if you’ve got... six penalty points, and you can go at your own cost to a two-day course, seminar on driver education... because education is the key to this. A wagging finger is going to get us nowhere ."

Ken also expresses concern over erratic driving around heavy goods vehicles, emphasising that trucks require significantly longer braking distances and that cutting directly in front of them is dangerous. Addressing listener queries, he highlights poor visibility among food delivery riders and scooter users traveling without lights or high-visibility clothing, and he endorses calls for additional motorway rest stops and public facilities to combat driver fatigue. His parting advice to holiday travelers is direct: " Put in practice what you know is right, and just don’t take the chance. "

Turning to impaired driving, Patricia highlights that over 4,600 people were arrested for driving under the influence across Ireland in the first half of the year—averaging more than one arrest every single hour.

Dervla O’Brien, CEO of Drinkaware, explains that bank holiday weekends remain critical danger windows. She expresses deep concern over a widespread blind spot regarding the "morning after": "Only 65% of adults under 35 even recognize the risk of drinking—or sorry, of driving the morning after drinking. And that’s also very concerning."

Dervla emphasises that arrests frequently take place late at night and into the early morning when social gatherings conclude without a prearranged journey home. She dispels persistent hangover remedies, emphasizing that cold showers, black coffee, and heavy breakfasts have zero impact on processing alcohol: "It just doesn’t... Plain and simple, it doesn’t. It may make you feel better, but it does not help your body process alcohol. Only time."

Dervla also outlined practical guidelines for estimating sobriety:

When asked about the shelved proposal to install commercial breathalysers in pubs and hotels, O’Brien notes that while breath testing may offer reassurance the morning after, the core message remains uncompromised: plan ahead, leave the vehicle behind if drinking, and allow ample time before driving. Above all, she reminded listeners that road tragedies are entirely preventable: "These are tragedies that are absolutely within our control if we are just cognizant of it, mindful of it, and, you know, be a little bit responsible."

The final segment featured Garda James Masters from Cobh Garda Station, who reviewed operational policing priorities for the holiday weekend. It coincided with weather warnings issued for Storm Austin, prompting an appeal for drivers to remain off the roads: "We’re hoping that people only drive when it’s necessary to do so... there will be flying objects, there will be poor visibility, and there may be falling trees unfortunately."

Garda Masters outlined the primary enforcement priorities across national and local routes, focusing on speeding, mobile phone distraction, and impaired driving.

Addressing the risk of driving the morning after, Garda Masters noted that checkpoints will operate actively during morning hours as well as throughout the night. He encouraged motorists to report erratic or dangerous driving to their local Garda station, noting that dashcam footage and registration numbers serve as valuable evidence.

Reflecting on demographic trends, Masters reveals that 45 people under the age of 25 have already died on Irish roads in 2026. In response, An Garda Síochána conducts the "Lifesaver Project" in secondary schools and workplaces, using powerful presentations from medical professionals and bereaved families to challenge young drivers’ sense of invincibility: " If you’re starting to drive at 17 or 18 and you’re getting your 12 lessons done, and you’re seeing the effects of actually dangerous driving or driving on a phone, then at least if you start as you mean to go on... it can be a very good thing. "