Northern Ireland

Ambulance service warn of spike in accidents

The Killyclogher Road in Co Tyrone was closed following a serious two-vehicle crash
The Killyclogher Road in Co Tyrone was closed following a serious two-vehicle crash The Killyclogher Road in Co Tyrone was closed following a serious two-vehicle crash

A SERIOUS crash between a car and a motorcycle led to the closure of a main road in Co Tyrone last night.

The crash happened on the Killyclogher Road in Omagh just before 7pm.

Diversions were in place on the A55 road in two places - at the junction of Barony Road and Killins Road, and the Faccary Road.

Meanwhile, the Ambulance Service yesterday raised concerns about an apparent spike in collisions over the last few days.

The service said it normally attends 13 crashes on an average day but paramedics were called to 34 on Wednesday.

A spokesman said all 34 crashes "had the potential to be fatal - the potential for a family to be mourning a loved one, young or old, over the Christmas period".

"There are appeals all the time for people to take care but unfortunately they tend to go unheeded."

He said ambulance driving instructor Seamus McAllister had recently seen an ambulance being tail-gated by a car.

"When the ambulance moved over Seamus could quite clearly see the driver texting at a speed in excess of 80 mph," the spokesman said.

"There are a number of things about that. One, who needs to go faster than an ambulance on an emergency run? Two, who needs to text while driving especially at more than 80? Three, if that guy hits anything or anybody, somebody is going to die."

The spokesman added: "Please, please, please give yourself a chance. Slow down. Leave your phone off - it can wait - it really can."