Gardaí confirm another case of wrong-way driver on M9 motorway
The latest incident occurred on Monday night, September 7
Gardaí said they responded to an incident on the M9 in which an older driver who had inadvertently travelled in the wrong direction.
It serves as a reminder of the risks faced by motorists using the M9 through Kildare and across the wider motorway network.
A devastating crash on the M9 near Moone, Co Kildare in August claimed the lives of five teenage boys - including two from Athy - after a BMW travelled the wrong way on the motorway and collided head-on with a Hyundai.
Four occupants of the Hyundai, including a seven-year-old boy, were seriously injured.
The latest incident occurred on Monday night, September 7, when Gardaí from the Thomastown and Kilkenny Roads Policing Unit were alerted to a vehicle travelling the wrong way on the M9, south of Danesfort.
The driver managed to leave the motorway safely and restarted the journey in the correct direction.
Gardaí subsequently came across the vehicle parked on the hard shoulder and were able to safely escort the tired driver from the carriageway.
Thankfully, there were no collisions or injuries reported.
Gardaí stressed that incidents of this nature are generally not the result of malicious or reckless intent. Instead, they can occur when motorists unfamiliar with the motorway network, fatigued drivers or those who find the demands of high-speed roads more challenging become disorientated.
The Gardaí also raised a wider question about whether motorway travel is always the most appropriate option for every driver.
Motorways require motorists to deal with higher speeds, complex junctions, merging traffic and long stretches of relatively monotonous driving.
Fatigue can compound those difficulties.
A tired driver who becomes confused or disorientated on a motorway can potentially place themselves and other road users at significant risk.
Learner drivers are not permitted to use motorways, meaning that for some motorists the first experience of these roads comes only after they have obtained their full licence.
Gardaí pointed out that motorists who are less comfortable with motorway driving may have alternatives available to them, with the Regional and National Primary road network continuing to provide routes between many towns and cities.