A fatal accident occurred in the early hours of the morning on the N18 in Clare County when a man was hit by a car. The collision took place just past 4 am on the northbound side of the dual-lane highway near junction 5, close to Cratloe. Teams from the police, National Ambulance Service and Clare County Fire and Rescue Service, including units from Shannon and Ennis, were on the scene immediately.
The car involved in the collision stopped roughly 100 metres from the impact point near the Portdrine flyover. The driver, while not severely injured, was understandably distressed. The victim was a male pedestrian in his thirties who received on-scene treatment before being transported swiftly to University Hospital Limerick. However, the police have since confirmed that he did not survive.
Due to the incident, the main route from Limerick to Shannon on the N18 has been shut down at junction 5. Traffic is being rerouted via Portdrine and the Cratloe/Sixmilebridge road. The local authorities have issued an appeal for witnesses. The road closure will allow for a thorough investigation by the police forensic collision investigators.
If anyone was in the vicinity at the time of the accident and has any recording equipment, such as dash-cam footage, they are urged to share it with the police. Anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to the Shannon Police Station on 061 365 900, the Confidential Police line on 1800 666 111 or any other police station.
For anyone planning on travelling to Shannon Airport, it is advised that they give themselves extra time due to the incident.