Four further young lives needlessly lost - Parsley

10.20.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 2nd Jul 2006

Chair of the Alliance Party youth wing, Cllr Ian James Parsley

Chair of the Alliance Party youth wing, Cllr Ian James Parsley, has expressed his despair at five further young lives lost on Northern Ireland's roads, four in one crash alone.

Cllr Parsley stated: "The loss of four young lives in one crash last night, plus that of a motorcyclist this afternoon, shows the necessity to learn lessons and apply new thinking fast.

"People must learn to treat cars as weapons, capable of becoming killing machines if not used correctly at all times. It is as simple as that.

"We do not know the precise circumstances of these crashes. But I would urge young people to think very carefully before getting into a car driven by a peer at all. Do you know the driver? Is the car's safety equipment, most obviously belts, operational and in use? Is the car capable of handling as many people as are in it? If the answer to any of these questions is not a clear 'yes', then do not ever get into the car. 'Peer pressure' is no reason for your life to be lost, and for your family to suffer.

"I have long campaigned for structural improvements on our roads, lower speed limits and better enforcement on our most dangerous routes, and more effective use of the 'R'-plate system. But the simple fact is that even with the existing structures, limits and systems, if young people take simple precautions they are far less likely to become victims of appalling road crashes the like of which we have seen all too often already this year."

ENDS