4ú Iúil 2001

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High Insurance Costs may put young lives at risk - Sinn Fein

Carrickmacross Sinn Fein Councillor, in a hard hitting statement, has accused Insurance companies of being partly to blame for the deaths of young drivers. Carthy, the youngest Sinn Fein Councillor in Ireland, claims that due to high insurance costs young drivers are forced to purchase older and cheaper cars. These cars are not as safe in the case of an accident as newer models may be.

Councillor Carthy said:

``While there can be no substitute for safe driving, it is a well documented fact that high insurance costs do nothing to improve the quality of driving.

`Sinn Fein firmly believe that a complete rethink in Irish driving standards is needed to reverse the trend of deaths on our roads. However, there can be no excuse for Insurance companies penalising all young drivers for the faults of a few.

``When young people are forced to pay enormous amounts for car insurance it stands to reason that they will have less to pay on the actual car.

``There are a great deal of young people who cannot afford to buy a car at all because of the cost of insurance. Those who must drive due to work or other reasons are forced to purchase sub-standard vehicles as a result of these charges.

``I am calling on the government to take immediate action on this issue. Young people have suffered for too long.'' ENDS

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