A LOCAL road safety campaigner made a passionate appeal to the Taoiseach to help end the carnage on our roads.

Letterkenny woman, Ms Mary Clinton, personally handed a letter to Bertie Ahern on his visit to the county last week calling for driver education and training in all schools.

In her letter she highlighted the recent St Patrick's weekend carnage when five people lost their lives on the roads of Donegal.

She told Mr Ahern that education in our schools was the only solution to saving the lives of our next generation of road users.

She continued: "Every child grows up to be a road user, either as a driver, a cyclist or a pedestrian; therefore it has to be part of our lifelong educational development as we have a moral obligation as adults to educate the next generation of drivers to the sad consequences of poor or inappropriate driving behaviour. Failing to do so by providing education in this area is essentially providing a "death" sentence to many of our children."

Ms Clinton is also a founding member of A-CEART or Action Campaign for Education Against Road Tragedies. It also means "A Right" in Irish.

"I believe, every human being has "A Right" to live a full and productive life unhindered by the lifestyle and/or inappropriate behaviour of another human being. Every life is precious and sacred (or should be)! We are meant to have life and have it in abundance. How can we have abundant life if we are prematurely dead or permanently injured as a result of reckless, inappropriate or irresponsible behaviour by others behind the wheel of any mechanically propelled vehicle."

"So Taoiseach, I am appealing to you as the Leader of our Country, please take heed of my campaigning and appeal and introduce without delay, "Driver Education and Driver Training in all schools nation wide from an early age," she said.