Appeal after 100th road death

There has been an appeal to road users to stay safe as the number of people killed on NI's roads reached 100.

The appeal was made by Environment Minister Edwin Poots.

Mr Poots urged people to do everything they can "to stay safe on the roads in the dangerous period between now and Christmas".

The minister said: "This is often the worst period for road deaths, with darker evenings, wet roads and more traffic."

He added that road deaths "have been declining for well over 30 years, and I fully expect that underlying trend to continue".

"However, that's not the point. Even one death is one too many," he said.

He urged motorists to pay attention, to slow down, to wear their seatbelts, to switch off mobile phones, to avoid driving when over-tired and never drink and drive.

He said pedestrians should always use footpaths, where possible, and wear bright or fluorescent clothing at night and in the early mornings.

The 100th victim was 57-year-old John Scott McKeown from Shanksbridge Road, Kells.

He died after being knocked down by a car in Ballymena on Thursday evening.