By Andy Spearman

When I was a kid in the South Dublin suburb of Goatstown, one of our favourite pastimes was sitting at the kerb jotting down the numbers of passing cars in a notebook. My God it was exciting!

Back then cars were quite rare even on the streets of the capital. For example, there were only three cars on the whole of estate. Nowadays many households have two or three cars and according to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), 121,850 new cars were registered in 2023 alone.

So, there is no denying that the motor car, and also the vast numbers of vans and trucks on our roads, have had a major effect, good and bad, on all of our lives.

Back in my childhood days the vast majority of kids walked to school or got the bus. That is far too dangerous today and the end of the school day is a time of total chaos as Mammies and Daddies arrive to pick up their kids.

Figures published recently by the online car insurance firm MCL Insurance Services (Ireland) Limited show that secondary roads were by far the most dangerous location for crashes with 141 incidents reported last year.

This was approximately double the next road classification, with 70 incidents recorded on tertiary roads, and 72 on unclassified roads while motorways reported the least number of crashes at just ten.

Most of our journeys are not on motorways however, which means there is still much work to be done to make the roads safer for ALL road users which includes motorists, pedestrian and cyclists.

According to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), a total of 188 people died on our roads last year, the highest number since 2014. As of the end of September, figures from An Garda Síochána show that the number has already reached 136 for this year.

So it was good to read that, when they were organising the 2024 Drogheda Motor Show, the Drogheda Motor dealers chose road safety as their theme and have adopted ‘Drive Smart Drive Safe’ as their slogan.

Cynics might poo poo their sincerity but last week the Drogheda motor traders convinced some of the country’s big-hitters in the world of road safety to attend a conference in Drogheda where they unanimously adopted a Road Safety Charter which outlines five key commitments to improving road safety throughout the year, including promoting safety technologies during test drives and engaging customers with road safety education.

“The partnership between local motor dealers and road safety organisations is critical in driving home the message of responsible driving” said Sarah O’Connor of the Road Safety Authority. “This show, with its strong focus on safety, is a great example of how businesses can actively contribute to the safety of our roads.”

Like all good events there is a rich mix of commerce, fun and learning involved in next week’s Drogheda Motor Show in Laurence Street. There’s music by The Victory Dolls, dance with KidKast and face painting / balloon modelling from LoveDrogheda and Martin the Magician will be there to entertain visitors!

Chef Tara Walker will run cookery demos throughout the day in the Old Methodist Church, opposite the Highlanes Gallery (special thanks to Flogas Ireland Energy).

Boyne Valley Flavours have partnered with a number of local food businesses, on or close to Laurence Street, to create a local ‘Boyne Valley Bites’ food trail. (Keep an eye out on social media for more details).

It’s not only the parents Mammies and daddies that like to sit behind the wheel of the latest cars and imagine they are out on the open road, Drogheda’s children love it too. Another event, and this one is just for them, is the Primary Schools Challenge Colouring Competition with €600 worth of Love Drogheda Gift Cards up for grabs.

Full details are at www.BrandNewDrive.ie , where the colouring sheet can be downloaded. Entries should be dropped into Highlanes Gallery by 12 noon on 12th October to be in with a chance of winning.

The Order of Malta Ambulance Corps will also be in attendance on the day at Laurence’s Gate where they will provide a very interactive experience for visitors to the show with CPR demonstrations and much more besides!

For more details see www.BrandNewDrive.ie and keep your eye on https://www.facebook.com/BrandNewDrive  for updates.