A ‘reset’ is exactly what is needed on road safety

Colleagues of Garda Kevin Flatley who died after being struck by a motorcyclist on Sunday embraced in emotional scenes at Dublin Castle on Monday evening as they met ahead of a memorial service.

Those in attendance included colleagues both past and present from across Ireland who came to pay their respects, and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

It was a solemn reminder of the dangers gardaí can face as they go about their daily duty while remembering also that they are much-loved sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends and loved members of their own communities.

Mr Flatley, 49, died after being hit by a motorcycle as he was recording vehicles’ speeds on the R132 at Lanestown on Sunday afternoon.

President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris are among those who have expressed their sympathies and shock following the death of the married father of two who had served for 26 years.

Garda Flatley was the 90th officer to die on duty since the creation of the force in 1922. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One programme on Monday, Sergeant Stephen Lavin said that Garda Flatley was good at his job and a devoted family man.

"He would always have conversations about weekends he would have away with his two young girls, going travelling around the country for football, and he'd be big into movie nights and sitting at home with his family.”

Also speaking on the programme, Sergeant Eoin Boyle described Garda Flatley as "an all-round sound gentleman".

"He tended to be incredibly diligent in terms of getting his paperwork done, he would tend to cross over and make sure that everything was finished," said Sgt Boyle.

"I think pretty much everything he did was geared around his family, everything was geared around catering for his family. He was very much a family man."

Sgt Lavin said that the nature of Gda Flatley’s death is a "big reminder" of the dangers involved as a member of An Garda Síochána.

Commissioner Harris called for a "reset" of the approach to road safety following recent deaths on the roads, particularly in relation to speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and distracted and drink-driving.

Assistant Commissioner for Dublin Metropolitan Region Paul Cleary said he would not pre-empt the outcome of any inquiry but stated that there had been 60 fatalities on the roads already this year.

"We really need to examine our behaviour while driving," he said.

Sixty fatalities. Lives lost. Gone forever. This year alone.

They are such stark and depressing figures. There has also been 18,000 incidents of speed, 8,825 incidents of people having a mobile phone, 2,159 incidents of people not wearing a seat belt, and 2,879 incidents of people driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Something has to change in the behaviour of all road users. An implicit understanding of the dangers our cars and trucks and motorcycles can cause unless operated under the strictest controls and concentration and never impeded by alcohol or drugs.

Everybody is at risk, even those who stand in harm’s way to protect us.

RIP Garda Flatley. Let his death not be in vain.