Road safety advocates have demanded action to curb ‘red light running’ in Galway City.

And a well-known city driving instructor said it was time to give the red card to breaking red lights.

“In my profession as a driving instructor, it’s frightening how many motorists a day I see breaking red lights throughout the city. There will be a serious collision some day,” said Shane Hynes, instructor with Galway Driving Academy and Liam Mellows clubman.

It comes after Galway City Tribune shone a spotlight on the issue of red light running last week.

A survey conducted by the Tribune found 26 instances of red light running at the University Hospital Galway traffic light junction during a 30-minute period one evening during August. Four cyclists broke red lights during the same period.

Reg Turner, Chair of Galway Cycling Campaign, said red light running by motorists was widespread, endangering all road users.

“This was something that was extreme in Dublin, 25 years ago when I moved to Galway, where people were respectful of lights. But it has changed. I work for the ambulance service, and no matter what set of lights you are at, there will be one person at least who will go through on a light that is clearly red. That’s at most sequences of lights,” said Mr Turner.

When this issue is raised, motorists often point out that people on bikes regularly run red lights, too.

“There’s no doubt there are cyclists who don’t obey the rules of the road; some go through red lights. Nobody is going to say it doesn’t happen. But the implications of a cyclist hitting a car, and a car hitting a cyclist or pedestrian, are much different.

“It’s the vulnerability of the road user. In a car, you’re surrounded by a metal box; on a bike, or as a pedestrian, you don’t have that luxury. So if someone in a car does run a red light, the implications are so severe,” he said.
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of this two-page news focus on running red lights and the new 30km/h speed limits, see the September 1 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.