THE ROADS IN County Mayo will be blessed this week in what Mayo County Council describe as a “novel ceremony” aimed at reducing the number of people who die in traffic accidents each year.

A special ‘blessing of the roads ceremony’ will take place in most parishes and services throughout the county on Easter Sunday as religious leaders back the campaign to make the roads safer, said the council.

The ceremony, which will place at all Catholic and Church of Ireland churches on Sunday is being promoted by the Road Safety office of Mayo County Council.

Noel Gibbons, Road Safety Officer for Mayo County Council said that the blessing of roads also takes place in Australia in a bid to raise awareness of road safety, adding that this year, they were introducing the initiative to Mayo.

Gibbons added that six people were killed on Mayo’s roads last year. The total so far this year is three.

He added:

The community makes improved road safety a goal in an effort to ensure that the grief associated with loss of life, or serious injury, does not come to them.

“There are still too many drivers under the impression that an accident won’t happen to them,” he said.

Chief Superintendent O’Brien said the gardaí are appealing for all road users to be safe this weekend on the roads.

Tuam Archdiocese spokesperson Father Fintan Monaghan said the church was “fully behind the campaign. We all need to play our part to reduce the number of road deaths”.

Read:  Gardaí have issued 45,000 penalty points notices this year>

Read:  Road deaths falling in Europe – but up 19 per cent in Ireland>

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