Carlanstown man's safety plea after six crashes outside home

A Carlanstown resident has renewed his appeal for safety measures at a dangerous bend in the village after three further accidents occurred outside his home since he last highlighted his concerns three weeks ago, when there had been three further crashes. Paraic McGuinness's home is on the N52, on the Kells approach into Carlanstown, and he fears that it is only a matter of time before somebody is killed at the dangerous bend. The latest collision occurred on Tuesday of last week when a young woman lost control of her vehicle and crashed into the front wall of McGuinness's garden, She suffered a broken sternum and was taken to hospital for treatment. Mr McGuinness's wall was demolished and the car ended up mounted on the footpath. The collision occurred at 7.30pm last Tuesday night and Mr McGuinness's daughter saw the accident as it happened. He explained that this was the third time that the wall has been hit. In recent weeks, a van also crashed through their fence and ended up in their garden. Two other accidents occurred on Saturday of last week at the bend. One vehicle occupied by a local couple from Kells overturned that morning and ended up in the ditch, on the opposite side of the road to Mr McGuinness's house. Thankfully, the couple were not injured. Later that day, another car also slid into the ditch, though the motorist was able to drive away. Mr McGuinness said the conditions were wet when both collisions occurred. "It is unbelieveable. We are just waiting for a lorry to come through the wall. A lorry will jacknife and that will be it," he said. Mr McGuinness added that the person who came to repair his fence had to leave and told him he was afraid to work there as the road was wet and he heard several cars skidding as they came around the bend. Mr McGuinness said he went to the council on Wednesday of last week but was told that there is only funding to put up the signs, that were knocked down, and for yellow paint strips to be painted across the road as a visual warning to motorists. Mr McGuinness wants the road surface tested and is calling for an anti-slip surface to be used on the road surface at hat point but said he was told there is no possiblity of this.