People who drive while tired could be responsible for up to one-third of crashes on Irish roads, the National Safety Council said yesterday.
It urged drivers making long journeys over the holiday weekend to take regular breaks. And in an attempt to encourage them to do so, it began offering motorists free tea and coffee at 22 locations on main routes across the State. The "driver reviver" service, at selected Statoil stations, will be offered again on Monday.
The advice, in an attempt to cut road deaths, came as thousands of families and individuals prepared to travel to a wide variety of events over the weekend.
These include Easter parades in counties Carlow and Roscommon and the annual Easter racing festival at Fairyhouse. The races begin tomorrow at 2.30 p.m. while the first race on Monday starts at 2.05 p.m. Race meetings also take place in Down Royal today and in Cork today and tomorrow.
Those seeking traditional Easter fare, including an Easter bonnet competition, should head to Hacketstown, Co Carlow, tomorrow afternoon for the town's annual parade which begins at 3 p.m. Several marching bands will take part, with prizes in a number of categories, including one for the most creative bonnet. An Easter Sunday parade takes place in Strokestown, Co Roscommon.
The Dublin Skip three-day cycle takes place between Dublin and Gorey. The 180 cyclists will depart from Tallaght and travel to Gorey between noon and 2.30 p.m. today. They return from Gorey to Blessington on Monday.