Labour Councillor Niall Mc Nelis said it’s time to stamp out the grotesque practice of recording or sharing images taken at the scene of a road accident.
The Labour Party’s ‘Protection of Accident Victims from Non-Consensual Recording of Images Bill 2022’ was drafted in response to the distressing and grotesque phenomena of images of road traffic accident victims being shared online. It will be debated in the Dáil this Thursday, June 13.
Councillor Mc Nelis said; “2024 has been a dark year on our roads. Too many lives have been lost and I would urge all road users to take extra care on the roads, to reduce their speed, to avoid distractions like phone use and to never, ever drink and drive.
“The cold hard reality is that there are between 150 and 200 road fatalities and approximately 8,000 injuries due to road traffic collisions every year. There is hardly a person in this country that hasn’t had either direct or indirect experience of a serious car accident resulting in death or serious injury within their family, circle of friends or community. Galway is no different unfortunately.
“The posting and sharing of images taken by those who come upon the scene of an accident has become all too common.
“The fact that family members and friends can be exposed to such harmful and grotesque images before they have even learned of the accident is unforgivable. It is deeply disrespectful and distressing intrusion into private grief that must be outlawed.
“It is becoming increasingly common for An Garda Síochána to issue strong requests in the immediate aftermath of a serious accident for people not to share these types of images and it must stop.
“This Thursday, the Labour Party will call on the Government to introduce penalties for anyone who shares these images. It’s time to stamp out this indecent and insensitive practice to protect all those left behind following the devastation of a death on the roads.”
