Puffer jacket saved Meath woman from worse injury after being hit by car, daughter says

Louise Walsh

A Ralph Loren puffer jacket possibly helped to save a woman from worse injuries after she was knocked down by a car on an 'inadequate' pedestrian crossing.

Deborah Keegan is now campaigning for improvements at the crossing in the centre of Ballivor, Co Meath, after her mother was thrown under a car.

Her mother suffered a bad concussion, a broken collarbone, and a bruised jaw, as well as damage to her hip and knee after the incident, which occurred just after 5pm on December 9th.

However ,the goose-feathered jacket and a parked car probably saved her mother from worse injuries, said Deborah, who wants Meath Co Council to install better lighting and a raised pedestrian crossing.

"My mother was coming from work and was about three-quarters way across the pedestrian crossing when she was hit. The driver said he simply didn't see her and was in shock," she said.

"The force of the car propelled her under a parked vehicle and her jacket was so wrapped around her that it acted as a buffer to when she skidded across the ground.

"My mother had a bad concussion but even medics said if it wasn't for the jacket which protected her and the car which stopped her being thrown further, the extent of her injuries would have been a lot worse."

Since the accident, Deborah has been approached by a number of people who claim to have had near misses on the crossing and Deborah has started a petition for Meath Co Council to install improvements.

"The speed limit needs to be reduced from 50km to 30km and there is no street lighting along a lot of the village. The lighting at the pedestrian crossing is poor and cars go through it all the time.

"There are parking spaces nearly on top of it which block the view of an oncoming driver of any pedestrian who has started to cross.

"Several more people, including a lady with a pram who was almost hit has since contacted me with support so it really is an issue in the community."

Deborah has started a petition for improvements which can be accessed in all local shops.