Mother recalls day her son killed on roads

A mother who founded a road safety advocacy group after her son’s death in a collision 20 years ago is appealing for increased vigilance on Irish roads. Donna Price’s son, Darren, was 18 when he died in a collision with a lorry in 2006.

Darren Price’s Death and its Aftermath

Donna Price remembers every minute of the day her son Darren was killed. The 18-year-old from Mullingar was on his way to college in Athlone when his Fiat Punto was in a collision with an articulated lorry outside Tyrrellspass on March 30, 2006.

“I still remember exactly where I was,” she said. “I was travelling to Dublin in my car and coming up to Kilmainham in the morning traffic, and the call came in from the guards, and I just knew something terrible had happened.”

After receiving the news, gardaí brought her to the station and then to the morgue in Mullingar. “I remember every minute of that day. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” she said.

Darren was a first-year engineering student at AIT and a talented footballer, having recently played right corner-back for the Westmeath team that defeated Kilkenny in the Leinster minor football championship. He also played basketball and had represented Irish schools.

“We have now been without Darren longer than we had him in our lives to love,” Price said. “It still feels like yesterday, in so many ways.”

Founding the Irish Road Victims Association

Following the inquest into Darren’s death, which heard there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the lorry driver, Price founded the Irish Road Victims Association (IRVA) in 2012. She felt an association was needed to support families who had lost loved ones in road collisions and to raise awareness around road safety.

“Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to any parent, but to lose them in a car crash when their death could have been prevented makes that loss more difficult to bear, if that is possible,” she said.

“It’s not an incurable illness that has taken our loved ones. It’s a road crash, and they all have causes, be it driver behaviour, or the roads, or whatever caused them. We should be doing much more with a real sense of urgency to prevent this devastation and that’s what we are about.”

Road Safety Concerns and Garda Efforts

Price expressed concern over the rising number of road fatalities, noting that 188 people died on Irish roads in 2025, up from 175 in 2024. Forty-two people have been killed to date this year.

She believes enforcement needs to be increased, stating that weekend campaigns are not enough and weekly operations are needed. She acknowledged progress in reducing fatalities but emphasized the need to reach zero deaths.

A statement from the Garda Press Office highlighted Commissioner Justin Kelly’s commitment to roads policing, noting that all members of An Garda Síochána are trained in road traffic legislation. Gardaí carried out over 103,000 checkpoints in 2025, resulting in over 8,100 arrests for driving under the influence.

Commissioner Kelly also cited operations such as Operation Surround and Operation IOMPAR, as well as national days of action targeting speeding and seatbelt use.

“A more complete approach that incorporates education and the engineering of both roads and vehicles is crucial,” Commissioner Kelly said.

Continued Grief and Advocacy

Price stated that the passage of time hasn’t lessened the pain of Darren’s loss. “It doesn’t get easier, but I suppose what happens is, you learn to live with it or to cope with it a bit better as the years go on.”

She is appealing to road users to think about their actions this bank holiday weekend, noting worsening driver behaviour and increased mobile phone use. “When you’ve been through this, you know, you wouldn’t wish it on anyone. We still miss Darren terribly, and that hole or void in our lives will never be filled. He’s our son and will always be our son.”