Woman and two girls killed in horror crash on Mayo’s N17, gardaí continued efforts to contact family last night

It is understood close family members of the victims are overseas and gardaí are canvassing neighbours of the deceased to ascertain contact details of the next of kin.

It is understood the woman who died was aged in her 30s and the girls were under 10. They were not from the local area and they are all related to one another.

The collision happened along a section of the N17 between Knock and Claremorris shortly after 2pm yesterday.

The collision involving a lorry and a car occurred on a straight stretch of road.

A van was also involved but it is understood the driver took evasive action and ended up in the ditch but managed to avoid colliding with the car or the fuel lorry.

Both drivers of the lorry and the van were treated for shock but were otherwise uninjured.

It is understood the car was being driven by the woman.

Initial inquiries suggest she may have lost control of the car and collided into the side of the oncoming fuel lorry.

It is believed the victims died instantly.

Their bodies were taken to Mayo University Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

The road remained closed for a forensic investigation last night and gardaí have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Investigators have also appealed to the public to not share images of the crash scene.

A local councillor said the whole county was “in shock” following the crash, as well as deaths in a house fire in the nearby town of Swinford.

Richard Finn said: “The whole county is in shock. It’s a sad day for Claremorris and of course Swinford. Mayo had a bad run-in today.

“Your heart goes out to everybody involved and we want to offer our condolences to everybody involved and to the families, extended families and friends.”

Michael Loftus, Cathaoirleach Mayo County Council said that the country was shocked after the accident.

“Here at the moment in Co Mayo we are thinking of the families,” Michael Loftus told Morning Ireland.

“It's a massive shock to us to hear of such an accident. When someone loses their life in a road accident so sad, but when you hear three lives lost this way, so suddenly, you know it creates great sadness in our county and in our country,” Mr Loftus added.

Mr Loftus also praised the first responders who attended the scene of the crash.

The stretch of road where the tragedy occurred is a notorious accident black spot and has been the scene of multiple casualties over the years.

The horror crash brings to 52 the number of people who have been killed on Irish roads this year.

There has been an alarming 24pc hike in road deaths in Ireland compared to the same period last year. A total of 52 people have lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year - 10 more than for the same period last year.

Fourteen people died on Irish roads in March alone - which equates to, on average, one death almost every 48 hours.

Co Mayo had 12 road deaths in 2023 according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA). There have been eight deaths in the county this year, including five in the Claremorris area.

The surging road death toll is all the more worrying given that 2023 ranked as the worst year for road fatalities in Ireland for more than a decade.

On January 5, Terence Killeen (38) died following a two car collision on the R331 at Belladaff near Claremorris.

Jimmy Rowe died in a single vehicle crash on the N17 in Claremorris after his car hit flood waters and skidded off the road during Storm Isha on January 21.

On February 21, James Moyle (33) died after he and his niece Croía were struck by a car while out walking in Ballina town.

Kacper Swierkowski (18) died in a single vehicle collision at Cloonkeen on the R309, near Castlebar on March 13.

One county, Kildare has already exceeded its entire 2023 death total in the space of just three months this year.

Kildare recorded three deaths throughout all of 2023 but has already suffered four road fatalities so far this year.

The high March death toll came despite both gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) running a targeted safety campaign.

On January 31, friends Katie Graham (19), Michael Kelly (25) and Daryl Culbert (21) died following a crash on the Wexford Road in Co Carlow.

Schoolboy, Dylan Coady Coleman (10) from Shannon, Co Clare also lost his life last month following a tragic road collision.

Remembered as a “loving child”, Dylan was an organ donor. His funeral heard how he “gave the gift of life” to five others through his selfless act.

Current figures indicate that almost 70pc of fatal collisions in Ireland occur between 7pm and 4am.

According to RSA research, the highest risk age among road users in 2023 was those aged 16-25 years.

This group represented 26pc of total fatalities (48 deaths) and the figures represented an overall increase of 23 road user fatalities compared to 2022.

Men are also dying on Irish roads at a rate of five-to-one compared to women.

RSA chairperson Liz O'Donnell warned the recent scale of road fatalities was "a cause of serious concern”.