Road Traffic Accidents

Wilson Nesbitt launch a new Belfast Office Suite and Client Meeting Hub

Wilson Nesbitt launch a new Belfast Office Suite and Client Meeting Hub

2nd September 2019

Wilson Nesbitt is pleased to announce the opening of a new office suite and client meeting hub at 36 Alfred Street, Belfast. The office suite provides a substantial increase in... Read more

Report shows drink and drugs a factor in rising road crash deaths in NI

9th August 2019

By Gary Adair There has been a rise in fatal road accidents in Northern Ireland in 2019, and a new report shows how alcohol and drug use has become an increasing... Read more

Fatal road accidents in Northern Ireland increasing in 2019

8th August 2019

By Gary Adair There were 7 deaths on Northern Ireland roads in the month of July, taking the total number of fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents to 33;... Read more

Over 100 drivers caught going over 100mph in 2018

23rd July 2019

By Gary Adair New figures, published by the road safety charity Brake under a Freedom of Information request, have revealed that 109 drivers were caught by police in Northern Ireland driving... Read more

Northern Ireland accident victims receive less compensation than rest of UK

19th July 2019

ByGary Adair Victims of road accidents, accidents at work or medical negligence in Northern Ireland are receiving much less than the rest of the UK according to the Ministry of Justice... Read more

New report reveals the Northern Ireland roads with the most speeding motorists

9th July 2019

By Gary Adair New statistics released by the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership have revealed that almost 41,000 speed-related offences were recorded in 2018, an increase of over 30% from... Read more

PSNI gearing up for summer drink driving crackdown

24th June 2019

By Gary Adair The Police Service of Northern Ireland have released new figures indicating that over 1,400 motorists have been arrested on suspicion of drink or drug driving so far in 2019.... Read more

How to begin a road traffic accident compensation claim

21st June 2019

By Gary Adair What to expect from your meeting with a Wilson Nesbitt road traffic accident claims solicitor Initially the process for making a claim for compensation may seem a little overwhelming,... Read more

Would you know what to do if you were involved in a road traffic accident?

20th June 2019

By Gary Adair Let’s face it, nobody ever wants to find themselves involved in a road traffic accident, and as such it can be a stressful thing to even think about.... Read more

Northern Ireland hotspots for road accidents involving pedestrians

11th June 2019

By Gary Adair New figures have revealed that nearly 900 pedestrians were killed or injured in road traffic accidents on Northern Ireland’s roads over a period spanning five years. The report... Read more

Majority of people feel unsafe walking on Northern Ireland roads

11th June 2019

By Gary Adair The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland has revealed that 79% of people feel unsafe when out for a walk, and recent statistics on road traffic accidents involving pedestrians... Read more

Northern Ireland road accident fatalities up in 2019

29th May 2019

By Gary Adair To date there have been 22 deaths on Northern Ireland’s roads in 2019, an increase from 16 reported at the same time in 2018. As with previously reported statistics,... Read more

Our Belfast Marathon fundraising amount reaches £1,460 for Brake

24th May 2019

We are delighted to confirm that the firm will be donating a total of £1,460 to the road safety charity Brake following our teams' fundraising efforts around the Belfast Marathon. Three... Read more

Compensation win for elderly man hit by a vehicle while gardening

5th March 2019

Our Personal Injury Specialists have reached a settlement for our client who was gardening when a driver failed to see him and knocked him over. The client was working at... Read more

322 drink driver arrests by PSNI during Christmas season

28th January 2019

By Gary Adair Preliminary figures released by the PSNI reveal that there were 322 drink driver arrests from 30th November 2018 to 1st January 2019, with ages of drivers ranging from... Read more

Poll reveals support for upper age limit for driving

25th January 2019

By Gary Adair Statistically younger drivers are more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident, yet the Duke of Edinburgh's crash had many people debating the need for an... Read more

55 fatalities in road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland in 2018

11th January 2019

By Gary Adair There were 55 deaths as a result of road traffic crashes in Northern Ireland last year. A look at the statistics in respect of the fatalities shows a familiar... Read more

£83k damages secured for client knocked off his bike

13th November 2018

Our personal injury specialists are pleased to have reached a settlement for our client, a keen sportsman who was knocked off his bike in a road traffic accident. Our client, based... Read more

Northern Ireland road traffic accident statistics

10th September 2018

By Gary Adair There have been 34 fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents on Northern Ireland roads in 2018, down from 40 over the same period in 2017 and... Read more

Nearly 2000 NI motorists received road defect damage compensation

22nd January 2018

By Gary Adair Compensation totalling nearly £495,358.04 has been paid to 1,935 motorists in Northern Ireland who suffered damage to their vehicles as a result of potholes and other road defects... Read more

65 people seriously injured in road traffic accidents in NI every month

13th November 2017

By Gillian Crotty The latest figures maintained by the PSNI suggest that on average each month, road crashes and accidents on Northern Ireland roads result in approximately 5 deaths, 65 people... Read more

Cyclist who knocked over and killed woman cleared of manslaughter

24th August 2017

By Gary Adair A cyclist who knocked over and killed a woman in east London has been found guilty of causing bodily harm by “wanton and furious driving”, escaping a conviction... Read more

High Court throws out insurers’ attempts to block rate decision

20th January 2017

By Gillian Crotty The Association of British Insurers has failed in its' High Court bid to delay the government announcement on the rate used to discount compensation awards. Personal Injury Solicitors have... Read more

Fatal road traffic accidents in NI more than double in July

29th July 2016

By Gary Adair The number of fatalities from road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland has already more than doubled in July, compared to the same month last year. There have been 7... Read more

Drunk driver sentence referred to Appeal Court for being too lenient

23rd May 2016

The three and a half year prison sentence given to a Northern Ireland man who knocked down and killed an 18-year-old in Belfast while drink driving is to be referred... Read more

Epileptic man told never to drive to go to jail for causing crash

19th May 2016

By Gillian Crotty A Northern Ireland man who was told never to drive again because he was epileptic will receive a jail sentence for causing a crash in which a woman... Read more

Northern Ireland drunk driver receives jail sentence for fatal crash

10th May 2016

A man from Northern Ireland who was almost two and a half times the legal drink-drive limit when he was involved in a fatal crash has been jailed for 2... Read more

396 drink drivers caught in Northern Ireland during winter crackdown

15th January 2016

By Gary Adair The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) caught 396 drink drivers during the winter crackdown that ran from 27th November to 2nd January, up 40 per cent on... Read more

10 deaths on Northern Ireland roads in December

5th January 2016

By Gillian Crotty There were 10 fatalities as a result of road accidents in Northern Ireland in the month of December, taking the total number of deaths on our roads in... Read more

Concerns about road safety in NI as November starts with 2 fatalities

2nd November 2015

By Gillian Crotty Road safety in Northern Ireland is once again in the spotlight following 2 fatalities from accidents in the first day of November. There were 3 road deaths in Northern... Read more

Compensation for loss of life in Northern Ireland to be reviewed

8th October 2015

By Gillian Crotty The Department of Justice in Northern Ireland is to consider whether the compensation amount for loss of life through negligence should be raised to bring it into line... Read more

Increase in serious injuries in Northern Ireland road traffic accidents

7th September 2015

By Gillian Crotty There has been an increase in the number of people seriously injured in road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland this year, despite a fall in actual collisions and... Read more

Driving ban but no jail for footballer following drink-drive accident

3rd September 2015

By Gary Adair Darren Gibson, a Premier League footballer originally from Northern Ireland, has escaped a prison sentence in respect of a drink-drive collision with cyclists and other motoring offences. Mr Gibson,... Read more

Survey reveals 1 in 5 young motorists take 'selfies' while driving

23rd July 2015

By Gary Adair New research suggests that 1 in 5 motorists in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK take 'selfies' with their telephone while driving. The survey by the Institute... Read more

NI Bill to lower alcohol limit for drivers one step closer

30th June 2015

By Gary Adair New legislation to lower the legal alcohol limits on Northern Ireland roads is one stop closer, after the Road Traffic Bill passed through another stage at the Assembly. The... Read more

NI woman escapes jail over 10mph fatal collision with motorcyclist

22nd June 2015

By Gary Adair A woman from Coleraine in Northern Ireland has avoided a jail sentence after causing the death of a motorcyclist that she hit with her car at around 10mph... Read more

£1million compensation for NI doctor injured in ambulance crash

18th June 2015

By Gillian Crotty A consultant anaesthetist who was seriously injured in a road traffic accident when she was travelling in an ambulance with a patient is to receive £1million in compensation... Read more

Northern Ireland swimmer agrees car accident compensation

16th June 2015

By Gillian Crotty A swimmer from Northern Ireland who failed to qualify for the London Olympics in 2012 following a road traffic accident in Belfast has reached an out of court... Read more

NI doctor sues driver of lorry following ambulance crash

9th June 2015

By Gillian Crotty A doctor who suffered serious injuries when the ambulance she was travelling in was involved in a road traffic accident is suing the driver of the lorry involved... Read more

Woman driver guilty of killing cyclist while using mobile phone

3rd June 2015

By Gary Adair A court has found a woman who was talking on her mobile phone while driving guilty of causing the death of a cyclist she hit with her car. Julie... Read more

Three fatal road accidents in Northern Ireland in 24 hours

13th April 2015

By Gillian Crotty Less than half way through the month, and April is already the worst month of the year for fatalities on Northern Ireland roads, following a 24 hour period... Read more

Council pays six-figure compensation to widow of cyclist

8th April 2015

By Gillian Crotty North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to pay a six-figure amount of compensation to the widow of a cyclist who died after he rode through a pothole and... Read more

Recent fatal road accidents in NI take 2015 total of deaths to 10

19th March 2015

By Gillian Crotty Fatal road accidents in County Down and County Fermanagh this week means there have now been ten deaths on Northern Ireland roads this year. The number of fatalities is... Read more

Belfast bus driver who hit pedestrian banned for a year

22nd January 2015

By Neil Logan A bus driver from Belfast who struck a pedestrian that he had not seen crossing the road he was turning in to has been given a 1 year... Read more

270 people caught drink driving in NI over Christmas

16th January 2015

By Gary Adair There was an increase in the number of motorists caught drink driving in Northern Ireland over the Christmas period according to new figures released by the police. Between 27th... Read more

Employee made redundant over cyclist hit and run tweet

6th January 2015

By Gillian Crotty A man who posted a tweet suggesting that his car hit a cyclist and that he did not remain at the scene has been sacked by his employers. Stockbroker... Read more

Over 3,600 road accidents in Northern Ireland in 2014 so far

19th November 2014

By Neil Logan This week is Road Safety Week and the emergency services in Northern Ireland have been talking about their activity in 2013, with 3,600 road accidents in the province... Read more

One Northern Ireland driver fined every 24 minutes

17th November 2014

By Gillian Crotty One Northern Ireland motorist is fined on average every 24 minutes for driving at excessive speed or going through a red light, according to the road safety charity... Read more

Cameras catch 48,000 Northern Ireland drivers speeding

30th October 2014

By Gary Adair New figures reveal that over 48,000 Northern Ireland motorists were caught speeding on police cameras over the last 12 months. Two thirds of speeding offences took place on roads... Read more

3 teenager road deaths in 2 days on NI roads

17th October 2014

By Gillian Crotty Three teenagers have died in separate road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland in the space of two days. Conal Daly, aged 18 from Belfast is the most recent fatality... Read more

Fatal road traffic accidents in NI up by 45 per cent

16th October 2014

By Gillian Crotty Two teenagers died as a result of separate road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland on Wednesday, taking the total of fatalities on our roads to 64 so far... Read more

Arrests for dangerous driving after Belfast road death

15th October 2014

By Neil Logan Two arrests have been made in connection with the fatal road traffic accident in Belfast which took the life of an 18-year-old student. Enda Dolan from Killyclogher in Omagh... Read more

Nuns killed in fatal road crash on Belfast Road

30th September 2014

By Gary Adair Two nuns have died in a fatal car accident on the Belfast Road in Newry in a collision with an unmarked PSNI vehicle. The crash happened at 9.25am this... Read more

Teenager dies in yet another fatal road crash in NI

19th September 2014

By Neil Logan There has been yet another fatal road accident in Northern Ireland, bringing the total of road deaths this year to 58, more than the entire 12 months of... Read more

Fatal road accident takes NI death toll to 55

9th September 2014

By Gary Adair A fatal road accident in County Down has taken the number of deaths on Northern Ireland's roads this year up to 55. The accident came in the same week... Read more

Driver who killed cyclist jailed for 5 years

28th August 2014

By Gary Adair The driver of a minibus who hit and killed a cyclist when he was operating his mobile phone while driving has been jailed for 5 years. Andrzej Wojcicki, aged... Read more

Driving ban for Northern Ireland teen speeding at 110mph

14th August 2014

By Gary Adair A teenager from Northern Ireland has been banned from driving just 5 months after passing his test for speeding at 110mph. Martin Mulheron, aged 18 from Dungiven was caught... Read more

NI teenager arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving

13th August 2014

By Neil Logan A Northern Ireland teenager has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving in connection with a road accident in Whitehead on Monday night which has left a 17-year-old... Read more

People injured in accidents not making compensation claims

7th August 2014

By Gillian Crotty New research suggests that the majority of people who suffer personal injury in an accident do not make a claim for compensation, challenging the notion of a 'compensation... Read more

Figures reveal 25yr old men most likely to get driving ban

7th August 2014

By Gary Adair New figures reveal that 25 year old males received more driving bans in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK between July 2013 and June 2014. The research... Read more

Jail for driver who killed motorist while using 2 mobiles

31st July 2014

By Gary Adair A woman who was sending and receiving texts and calls on two different mobiles phones before crashing into another vehicle, and killing it's driver, has been given a... Read more

20mph speed limit considered for Belfast city centre

30th July 2014

By Gary Adair Northern Ireland motorists are taking note of plans to introduce a 20mph speed limit in Belfast city centre, and they have 3 weeks to raise any objections to... Read more

Extra police on roads to crackdown on NI motoring offences

25th July 2014

By Gary Adair There will be a stronger police presence on Northern Ireland roads over the next few months, as the PSNI attempts to crackdown on the motoring offences that are... Read more

Jail for Belfast drink driver who caused head-on collision

8th July 2014

By Gary Adair A Northern Ireland woman has been given a 9 month jail sentence by Belfast Crown Court after causing a head-on collision while drink driving. Briege O'Hara, aged 61 from... Read more

Extra police on roads as NI road fatalities increase

4th July 2014

By Gary Adair The PSNI has responded to the alarming rate of fatal road accidents in Northern Ireland by temporarily drafting 14 officers from the Close Protection Unit to assist with... Read more

Northern Ireland fatal road accidents triple in June

1st July 2014

By Gillian Crotty There were 11 fatalities as a result of road accidents in Northern Ireland in June, nearly triple the amount of road deaths in the previous month. The year started... Read more

Jail for 150mph driver with 4 young children in car

30th June 2014

By Gary Adair A man has been given a 20 week prison sentence for driving at 150mph with 4 young children in the car who were not wearing seatbelts. Police officers finally... Read more

Nine months jail for Northern Ireland driver in hit and run

25th June 2014

By Gary Adair A Northern Ireland man has been given a nine month prison sentence after hitting a 7-year-old girl with his motorcycle and then leaving the scene of the incident. David... Read more

Six months jail for driver in crash that killed girlfriend

17th June 2014

By Gillian Crotty A Northern Ireland man has been handed a six months jail sentence for causing the death of his passenger girlfriend in a road crash caused by speeding and... Read more

Speeding motorist who killed cyclist escapes jail

4th June 2014

By Neil Logan A speeding motorist who ran into and killed a pedestrian as she crossed the road has escaped jail because there was no official 30mph limit sign on the... Read more

2 fatal road accidents in Northern Ireland within 1hr

3rd June 2014

By Gillian Crotty There have been two separate road traffic accidents resulting in fatalities in Northern Ireland within the space of one hour. Both road accidents occurred in County Down, with the... Read more

Accident compensation cut as motorcyclist had been drinking

27th May 2014

By Gillian Crotty The amount of compensation to be awarded to the widow of a motorcyclist who died in a fatal road crash has been cut by 70 per cent, as... Read more

Tough motoring legislation introduced into NI Assembly

12th May 2014

By Gary Adair The Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill has been introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly with tougher alcohol limits and tighter controls on learner drivers. The legislation reduces the alcohol limits... Read more

Two NI pensioners killed in separate road accidents

7th May 2014

By Gary Adair Two female pensioners were killed in separate road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland on 6th May. A woman in her 80s was killed in a fatal road traffic accident... Read more

Two fatal road accidents in Northern Ireland in 24hrs

28th April 2014

By Gillian Crotty Two fatal road accidents in 24 hours take the total of road deaths in Northern Ireland in 2014 to 22. At 2am on Sunday a man in his 40s,... Read more

Passengers reluctant to challenge drink drivers

17th April 2014

By Neil Logan A new survey has revealed that a quarter of passengers who have been in a car driven by someone who had been drinking were too embarrassed to challenge... Read more

Another fatal road accident in Northern Ireland

4th April 2014

By Gillian Crotty The number of fatalities in Northern Ireland as a result of road traffic accidents continues to climb with the death of Leanne Dripps from Maghera following a two-vehicle... Read more

Two fatalities in Northern Ireland road accident

31st March 2014

By Gillian Crotty A road traffic accident in Cookstown in the early hours of Sunday morning has resulted in two fatalities, meaning the total number of road deaths in Northern Ireland... Read more

Further Northern Ireland road fatality after Limivady crash

18th March 2014

By Neil Logan A road traffic accident on the Broad Road between Limivady and Coleraine has resulted in the 2nd road fatality in Northern Ireland in March and the 11th since... Read more

Widow to sue after cyclist's fatal pothole accident

10th March 2014

By Gillian Crotty The widow of a cyclist who was thrown into the path of car and killed after hitting a pothole has vowed to sue the council responsible for repairing... Read more

Another fatal road accident in Northern Ireland

3rd March 2014

By Neil Logan There was another fatal road accident in Northern Ireland over the weekend, as an elderly motorist died after a crash outside Londonderry. January of this year was one of... Read more

Northern Ireland man admits dangerous driving on beach

25th February 2014

By Gary Adair A Northern Ireland man has pleaded guilty to a number of motoring offences in connection with an incident on Benone beach in County Londonderry when his car struck... Read more

Compensation awarded to NI car crash cyclist

19th February 2014

By Gillian Crotty The Belfast High Court has awarded £50,000 in compensation to a cyclist who was injured after crashing into a car that had abruptly pulled over and come to... Read more

Inquest hears driver texting while travelling at 80mph

17th January 2014

By Gillian Crotty The inquest into the death of Jeremy Middleton heard that he was texting on his mobile at the time, or immediately before, his van drove into a horsebox... Read more

5 road deaths in NI in first 10 days of January

13th January 2014

By Tanya Waterworth There were 5 fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland in the first 10 days of January - the same amount as in the... Read more

NI drink driver had 41 previous motoring convictions

13th January 2014

By Gary Adair A Northern Ireland man has been given an 18 month jail sentence after crashing into two cars while two times over the legal drink drive limit. The judge at... Read more

Half of male drivers have micro-sleeps at the wheel

9th January 2014

By Gillian Crotty Nearly a half of male drivers admit to falling asleep behind the wheel for 5 to 10 second 'micro-sleeps', according to new research by Brake and Direct Line. Of... Read more

Increase in road deaths in Northern Ireland in 2013

3rd January 2014

By Gillian Crotty There were 56 deaths on the roads of Northern Ireland in 2013 compared to 48 the previous year. Despite the increase on last year the total number of road... Read more

Advice for motorists and pedestrians this New Year's

31st December 2013

By Neil Logan Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is soon entering the most dangerous period of the year on our roads, as icy conditions and an increase in... Read more

AA survey reveals lack of understanding on alcohol

23rd December 2013

By Neil Logan A survey of 21,000 motorists conducted by the AA has revealed a common lack of misunderstanding on the effects of alcohol, and in particular, how long you need... Read more

Police offer reward for reporting drink-drivers

2nd December 2013

By Gary Adair Police in the West Midlands of England are offering concerned citizens a reward of £200 for every drink driver they report that goes on to be charged and... Read more

Guilty pleas entered in NI car crash manslaughter case

29th November 2013

By Gary Adair Two men charged with causing the death of a police officer in a car crash in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, have entered guilty pleas to the various charges against... Read more

Brake charity calls for a ban on car hands-free phones

18th November 2013

By Tanya Waterworth This week the charity Brake is asking motorists to consider the amount of distractions they allow into the car with them when they are behind the wheel, and... Read more

Brake Road Safey week urges drivers to concentrate

12th November 2013

By Tanya Waterworth Next week sees the launch of the Brake charity's Road Safety Week, asking motorists to 'Tune-in' when they are behind the wheel, and to avoid the distractions that... Read more

Police investigate man eating cereal while driving

1st November 2013

By Neil Logan A youtube video showing a motorist eating cereal while driving through a busy city centre has generated criticism by action groups and has also got the attention of... Read more

Outrage at no jail sentence for repeat drink driver

24th October 2013

By Gary Adair A court to decision not to impose a jail sentence on a drink driver who was caught for the fourth time by police in 10 years has been... Read more

Learner driver age uplift proposed to reduce crashes

11th October 2013

By Gillian Crotty The government will consider increasing the age that learner drivers can obtain a probationary licence from 17 to 18 in a bid to reduce road traffic accidents involving... Read more

High incidence of repeat offending by drink-drivers

27th September 2013

By Neil Logan Nearly 1 in 5 of the people currently classed as high-risk drink-driving offenders has been disqualified more than once. The DVLA compiles a "high-risk register" of drink driving offenders,... Read more

Motorist blames divorce for his drink driving

26th September 2013

By Gary Adair A man charged with drink driving says his recent divorce is to blame for his offence because his wife is no longer waiting for him at home with... Read more

Appeal against lenient sentence for cyclist killer fails

25th September 2013

By Neil Logan The Crown Office has lost its' appeal against the sentence of a motorist who caused the death of two cyclists. Gary McCourt escaped a jail sentence after causing the... Read more

Ban for drink driving father who had child in the car

18th September 2013

By Neil Logan A man has been given an 18 month driving ban after he was found to be nearly two times over the legal drink-drive limit with his 7-year-old child... Read more

Council's unusual technique to reduce speeding

16th September 2013

By Gary Adair Leicester City Council is trialling a new measure to reduce speeding on a road outside a Primary School, but the RAC thinks it could actually result in an... Read more

Clerk jailed for helping 70 drivers escape bans

13th September 2013

By Neil Logan Former court clerk, David Kelly, has been given a 6 year jail sentence for helping 70 motorists escape driving bans by falsifying their records. The 47 year-old from Liverpool... Read more

Driving ban for woman 4 times over the limit

10th September 2013

By Gary Adair A motorist has been given a 3 year driving ban and a 12 month community service order after testing nearly 4 times over the legal drink-drive limit. Amrit Kaur... Read more

Drivers keep licences despite 30 plus penalty pts

5th September 2013

By Neil Logan Twelve accumulated penalty points for driving offences over a 3 year period is supposed to result in a disqualification, however the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) says there... Read more

Ban for driver who killed cyclist while eating at wheel

3rd September 2013

By Neil Logan Paul Brown, aged 30, has had his sentence reduced from causing death by dangerous driving to careless driving after he hit and killed a cyclist while eating a... Read more

Footballer was drink-driving while his team played

29th August 2013

By Neil Logan Stephane Sessegnon, a 29-year-old footballer with Premier League team Sunderland has been charged with drink driving. Mr Sessegnon, who is from Benin, is not the first foreign professional footballer... Read more

Prison for texting lorry driver who killed couple

29th August 2013

By Gary Adair Lorry driver Ethen Roberts has been given a prison sentence of five years and three months after admitting causing the death of Mark and Tamsie McHale by dangerous... Read more

Woman driver eight times over drink-drive limit

28th August 2013

By Neil Logan A female driver, aged 36, who was stopped by police turned out to be eight times over the legal drink-driving limit, and is considered to be one of... Read more

Jail for Belfast man with 100 driving convictions

28th August 2013

By Neil Logan Belfast man, Anthony Fitzgerald Harmon, aged 34, has been given a 15 month prison sentence for driving while banned. The judge described Mr Harmon's record of 163 convictions, of... Read more

Drink drive mum asked son to lie to police

23rd August 2013

By Gary Adair A disqualified driver who was nearly three times over the legal drink drive limit asked her passenger son to tell the police that she wasn't his Mum, but... Read more

400 motorists caught in 3 day police crackdown

20th August 2013

By Gary Adair A 3 day police crackdown in Scotland resulted in police catching 400 motorists without insurance, a valid driving licence, or driving an unsafe vehicle. Half of the offences were... Read more

Speed enforcement week begins in Northern Ireland

19th August 2013

By Neil Logan Northern Ireland motorists might notice an increased police presence on roads and motorways this week, as a result of the European speed enforcement week. The operation is being supported... Read more

Criticism of private detectives spying on claimants

13th August 2013

By Gillian Crotty The practices of private detectives employed by insurance companies to investigate accident victims claiming compensation has come under fire after a number of high profile incidents. In one case... Read more

Accident victims get 3 times more compensation using solicitors

8th August 2013

By Gillian Crotty A new campaign by the Law Society advises accident victims that they stand to earn two to three times more compensation if they use a claims solicitor, compared... Read more

Driver awareness - Penalty point guide

24th July 2013

By Neil LoganSolicitor at Wilson Nesbitt specialising in motoring offencesIt can be easy to forget the convenience and opportunities that having a driving licence affords, and for many people it... Read more

Driver ban reduced because of impact on earnings

19th July 2013

Criminal Appeal Court judges have reduced the ban of a driver who caused a crash that seriously injured another motorist, because the driver requires his licence in order to make... Read more

Graduated drivers licences would lower road deaths

17th July 2013

A system of graduated drivers licences would reduce road deaths according to a report by the RAC Foundation. The report proposes a 4 year learning period for new drivers, and various... Read more

Younger drivers tempted to drink-drive in summer

9th July 2013

A new poll carried out by AA/Populus suggests that younger drivers face increased temptation to drink-drive during the summer months. The motorists who responded to the poll said that there were... Read more

Death crash motorist released from jail by mistake

3rd July 2013

A motorist who was found guilty of causing death by careless driving was released after just 4 months of his sentence by mistake. Courtney Meppen-Walter, aged 18, was held responsible for... Read more

Youthful folly and alcohol caused road crash death

3rd July 2013

A judge who sentenced a 19 year old motorist to 3 years and 4 months in a young offenders' institution for causing the death of his friend in a road... Read more

NI blackout driver jailed for fatal road crash

1st July 2013

A Northern Ireland woman who caused the death of a passenger in another car after she blacked out while driving has been sentenced to 15 months in jail, though she... Read more

NI woman who caused death by drink driving loses appeal

28th June 2013

A Northern Ireland woman who killed another driver in a collision while under the influence of alcohol has failed in her attempt to have her jail sentence reduced. Patricia McGrade, aged... Read more

Paralysed road crash teenager awarded £14m compensation

26th June 2013

A teenager who was left paralysed after a road traffic accident when she was 9-years-old has been awarded a compensation package that will total £14million. Issy Sale, now aged 17, was... Read more

Survey reveals complacency over drink driving

24th June 2013

A survey carried out by the AA has found that Northern Ireland motorists are among the most complacent when it comes to drinking and driving. The UK wide survey results show... Read more

Compensation agreed for magistrate crash victim

19th June 2013

One of the victims of the so-called 'Coffee Costa crash' that happened in April last year has agreed a six-figure compensation sum out of court. The now infamous crash involved then... Read more

Dangerous driving charge for NI man after hit-and-run

10th June 2013

A 23 year old man from Londonderry in Northern Ireland has been charged with dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, driving without a licence, and failing to remain at the... Read more

NI crash driver was under influence of drink and drugs

31st May 2013

A Northern Ireland motorist who died in a road crash that also claimed the life of one of his passengers was over the legal alcohol limit, and was under the... Read more

10 yrs jail for driver who killed married cyclists

23rd May 2013

A man has been given a 10 year prison sentence for causing the death of a married couple that he knocked off their tandem bike while trying to evade the... Read more

Survey shows support for new learner driver rules

23rd May 2013

A survey carried out by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line suggests that 84 per cent of drivers would support the introduction of a minimum learning period for new... Read more

Twitter boast by hit and run driver alerts police

22nd May 2013

Police are investigated a claim that a woman knocked a cyclist off his bicycle on the strength of a bizarre tweet the driver herself made after the accident. The tweet, by... Read more

Twice as many NI road deaths in 2013

25th April 2013

The number of deaths as a result of road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland in 2013 is currently double the amount over the same period in 2012. There have been 17... Read more

Driver who killed woman requests jail

18th April 2013

A 22 year old man who knocked over and killed a young mother told the judge that he wanted to go straight to jail, passing up the possibility of being... Read more

Quarter of NI road deaths involved drugs

3rd April 2013

New figures have been released which show that a quarter of the motorists, including motorbike riders, who died on the roads of Northern Ireland over the last three years had... Read more

Gov to tackle young driver accident rates

26th March 2013

A meeting between transport ministers and representatives of the insurance industry took place yesterday, with the express purpose of considering how to tackle the high rate of road traffic accidents... Read more

1 in 3 company cars involved in a road accident

25th March 2013

Road traffic accidents involving employees driving as part of their work are the biggest cause of accidental deaths in the 'workplace', and employers are being urged to do more to... Read more

NI car crime victims sued by police

19th March 2013

It has been reported by the BBC that some victims of car theft in Northern Ireland are being sued by police officers who were injured during the retrieval of the... Read more

Survey reveals bad driving in icy conditions

15th January 2013

A new survey has revealed the bad driving habits in winter conditions that result in so many road traffic accidents at this time of the year. Released by road safety charity... Read more

NI road traffic accident deaths at record low

4th January 2013

There were 48 fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland in 2012 - the lowest number since records began, and a decrease of 11 from 2011. Commenting... Read more

£23m compensation for teenager in car crash

20th November 2012

Compensation totalling £23million is to be paid out to a teenager that was left paralysed after a road traffic accident that caused the death of her mother. The car crash occurred... Read more

NI campaign tackles road traffic accidents

19th September 2012

A new road safety campaign in Northern Ireland highlights that 95% of fatal crashes involve human error, and should not be called 'accidents'. The graphic television advertisement being used in the... Read more

Solicitors urge proper debate on whiplash

1st May 2012

President of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, Karl Tonks, has called on the government to have a proper debate about the real issues surrounding whiplash claims, saying "whiplash injuries... Read more

£5m compensation for road traffic accident brain damage

23rd February 2012

The High Court has approved compensation totaling £5million to be paid to a 6 year-old girl named Cerys Edwards who suffered severe brain damage in a road traffic accident when... Read more

Cameron sides with insurance companies over injury claims

14th February 2012

Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed to tackle rising insurance premium costs, not by questioning the profits of the multi-million insurance business in the UK, but by introducing a number... Read more

One whiplash claim every min in the UK

13th January 2012

There were approximately 554,000 whiplash claims throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in 2010-11, accounting for 70% of all injury claims arising from road traffic accidents. There has... Read more

Fatal road traffic accident down to icy roads

20th December 2011

Teenager Annabel Laws, aged 17, is the first person this year to be killed in a road traffic accident in icy conditions in the UK. Annabel was in the rear passenger... Read more

Crash victim told broken neck was whiplash

13th October 2011

A man who suffered a broken neck in a road traffic accident was told he had no serious injuries and sent home by hospital staff after they had completed a... Read more

Road Traffic accidents: Rear-end bumps increase

18th May 2011

New research by insurance company Admiral has revealed an increase in the number of rear-end bumps, which made up 27% of all road traffic accident claims received by the company... Read more

Belfast car accident victim wins £1million claim

15th November 2010

A journalist who suffered significant brain and head injuries when a car hit him as he crossed the road in Newtownabbey, a suburb north of Belfast, has been awarded... Read more

iPods and mobiles behind increased road accident deaths

7th October 2010

Road safety campaigners 'Tune into Traffic' say texting and listening to iPods while driving are to blame for an increase in fatal road accidents, particularly among younger drivers. So significant... Read more

Law Society scheme to protect road traffic accident victims

5th July 2010

  The Law Society of Northern Ireland has created a new Road Traffic Accident Claims Advice Service to respond to the increasing practice of injured parties being approached by Claims Management... Read more

?3.5million for boy hit in 30 mph zone

2nd July 2010

Jamie Webb, aged seven, was awarded a £3.5million settlement for injuries sustained in a serious road traffic accident while running across the road just outside his home. The legal speed... Read more

Wife sues husband after car accident

24th May 2010

A woman, Carol Coleman, has agreed an out of court settlement after suing her husband for injuries suffered in an accident while he was driving and she was a passenger. The... Read more

Flashing bicycle lights legalised

29th December 2009

Cyclists in Northern Ireland can now use flashing lights legally. The devices have been legalised by minister for transport Noel Dempsey, the Irish Times reports. "Most people using the lights,... Read more

Study finds parents ignore child seat safety

30th September 2008

A study has found that one in six drivers was found to be breaking the law regarding child car safety seats, it has been reported. Without adequate car seats the... Read more

Legal changes 'will crack down on uninsured drivers'

10th September 2008

Proposed changes to the law to make driving without insurance a more difficult offence to avoid have been touted.Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive at the British Insurance Brokers'... Read more

Road deaths in Northern Ireland 'unacceptable'

18th June 2008

The death toll from road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland is "unacceptably high", it has been claimed.A report carried out by the Criminal Justice Inspection has found that the quality... Read more

Post-traumatic study due this month

9th June 2008

The 'world's largest' study on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is due to be published this month, Legal & Medical magazine reports.Moving Minds, a psychological services provider, told the publication that... Read more

Employers 'must protect loneworkers'

4th June 2008

Employers, including those in Northern Ireland, have to ensure that members of staff who go out on their own are protected, the chief executive of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust told... Read more

'Jumbo jet's worth of people killed at work every fortnight'

25th April 2008

Enough people die at work to fill a jumbo jet every two weeks, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).This is due to a failure to... Read more

Consult solicitors in Northern Ireland over road rage accidents

9th April 2008

More than 7.4 million drivers in the UK have been involved in road rage incidents, according to MoneyExpert.com.One in six drivers has been involved in an incident in the last... Read more

NI warned of wintery roads

3rd March 2008

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland should be on alert for clients claiming for unexpected road traffic accidents after forecasters have predicted a change in the weather.While solicitors are unlikely... Read more

Snow set to hit Belfast

30th January 2008

Solicitors in Northern Ireland should be prepared for a rise in road traffic accident claims after wintery weather is set to cause hazardous driving conditions, with snow expected in Belfast.Some... Read more

Drink-driving levels up over Christmas

24th January 2008

It is likely that solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland saw a rise in cases of road traffic accidents in the New Year after the number of people drink-driving in... Read more

Potholes cost a third of a million

24th January 2008

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland have secured nearly a third of a million pounds in compensation for victims of potholes on the province's roads over the last three years.Drivers... Read more

No compensation for bike victim

10th January 2008

Solicitors in Northern Ireland have failed to win compensation from the Motor Insurers' Bureau for the victim of a hit-and-run accident in Belfast because of a legal loophole.An unnamed teenage... Read more

Cyclist awarded compensation

8th January 2008

Solicitors have secured over half a million pounds in compensation for a Canadian cyclist who was injured in a road traffic accident in Northern Ireland.Martine Samray was injured in an... Read more

Weather causes dangerous driving conditions

4th January 2008

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland have been put on alert for road traffic accidents, as the weather in the province causes treacherous driving conditions.Although careful drivers should remain safe... Read more

NI road deaths fall to 60-year low

3rd January 2008

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland had to deal with fewer cases of road deaths than at any time during the past 60 years.Only 112 people died on the roads... Read more

£3.5m for PSNI crashes

2nd January 2008

Solicitors in Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland have secured nearly £3.5 million in compensation for road accidents caused by the police over the past five years.The Police Service... Read more

NI considers jail for chatty drivers

27th December 2007

Solicitors in Northern Ireland could see the number of cases of road traffic accidents fall if motorists in the province are put off using their mobile phone while driving by... Read more

Drink driving charges fall

18th December 2007

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland may have to deal with fewer cases of road traffic accidents where the accused has been intoxicated, after the number of drink drivers caught... Read more

Death toll on NI roads hits 100

11th December 2007

It seems that the number of road traffic accidents that solicitors in Northern Ireland have to deal with will not be reduced after underinvestment on the province's roads was revealed.Regional... Read more

NI motorists warned over driving behaviour

4th December 2007

Motorists in Northern Ireland have been told that they need to take a look at their own driving behaviour. Northern Ireland environment minister, Arlene Foster, has called on drivers to... Read more

Work-related road accidents hidden

22nd November 2007

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may be ignorant as to the number of road traffic accidents which involve drivers who were working at the time if they listen to the police,... Read more

Half of NI motorists drink and drive

19th November 2007

The number of road traffic accident victims that solicitors in Northern Ireland must assist could be increased by the fact that nearly half of all Ulster motorists admit to have... Read more

Ministers consider cut to NI drink-drive limit

24th October 2007

Solicitors in Northern Ireland could see fewer people claiming compensation for alcohol-related road traffic accidents, after the government revealed that it was considering cutting drink-driving limits in the province.Currently the... Read more

New driving laws to jail careless killers

23rd October 2007

New legislation is set to come into force in Northern Ireland, which orders that reckless drivers who kill or seriously injure others could face up to five years in prison.... Read more

Fat drivers told to buckle their belts

16th October 2007

Solicitors in Northern Ireland who deal with road traffic accident cases may see an increasing trend of the people they are claiming against on behalf of their clients being obese.According... Read more

Motorbike accidents double

26th September 2007

Following solicitors dealing with nearly double the number of road traffic accidents caused by motorcyclists since last year, Northern Ireland is set to get stricter tests for learner motorbike drivers.Northern... Read more

Millions invested in road safety scheme

25th September 2007

Solicitors could see a fall in the number of clients from the Larne area claiming for road traffic accidents, as the Northern Ireland Executive has announced that £2.1 million has... Read more

Dangerous driving habits revealed

18th September 2007

Solicitors in Britain and Northern Ireland may have to deal with more road traffic accident victims, as 68 per cent of motorists have dangerous driving habits, a new survey has... Read more

NI road crash figures clash

4th September 2007

Solicitors may see more cases of claims for road traffic accidents than the police could estimate after figures released by Northern Ireland's Audit Office show a much higher toll than... Read more

UK should catch up on drink driving

16th August 2007

Solicitors could see fewer cases of road traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers if recommendations made by the British Medical Association (BMA) come into force.The BMA said that the legally-allowed... Read more

Council not negligent over icy road

9th August 2007

After a claim against a council over icy roads was quashed, a solicitor has said that the ruling will have personal liability implications for local authorities across Britain and Northern... Read more

Licence age to be driven up

6th August 2007

Solicitors in Britain and Northern Ireland could see fewer cases of claims involving road traffic accidents caused by young drivers, as the government is proposing raising the minimum legal driving... Read more

Seatbelt dodger retains compensation

4th July 2007

A man from East Yorkshire has been told he will receive most of his compensation claim for a road traffic accident, which left him paralysed, even though he was not... Read more

Road traffic accidents driven down

3rd July 2007

Solicitors will hopefully see fewer cases of clients having to claim compensation for road traffic injuries, as the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that the number of road traffic... Read more

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