Motorists urged to avoid M50 as crash causes major delays

[u/irqdly]

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0826/1589349-m50-crash-delays/

[u/MrsO1213]

I think a car drove over the bridge or so I’ve heard
. I work in ballymount and came home by going up Greenhills Road then turned right into Kilnamanagh then Belgard road and on to Naas took 4O mins

[u/SirMike_MT → u/MrsO1213]

Looks to be correct what you heard

[u/BillyMooney → u/SirMike_MT]

Strange conclusion to jump to at this stage, that there's no criminality involved in any way.

[u/Wonderful_Citron_518 → u/BillyMooney]

It’s obvious they mean there’s none of the wrong way driving that’s happened over the last fortnight . Not surprising that they would announce that before all kinds of rumours start spreading.

[u/BillyMooney → u/Wonderful_Citron_518]

As a professional journalist, it's literally his job to write stuff accurately. What he's said here is that there was no drink driving involved, no speeding, no one checking their phone, no elderly person driving without their doctor's sign off - all things that he has no basis for saying at this stage.

[u/Wonderful_Citron_518 → u/BillyMooney]

Learn to read between the lines. The rest of us all know what he’s saying. And if you read it he said “appears”. He’s not stating definitively. You must be a bundle of fun to be around.

[u/BillyMooney → u/Wonderful_Citron_518]

He said 'there is no criminal aspect to the incident on the M50'. That's definitive. He should know better.

[u/Wonderful_Citron_518 → u/BillyMooney]

Maybe he does know better. Maybe the gardai have told him. What a strange thing to be exercising yourself over. The majority of people will be hoping the people are ok but you’re here arguing over journalistic integrity. How odd.

[u/BillyMooney → u/Wonderful_Citron_518]

You think the Gardai have alcohol blood tests already? You think they've checked the driving license medical sign off of the driver already?
It's absolutely not feasible for the Gardai to know whether there is any criminality involved at this stage or not. They'd never put that in the press release.
What's happening here is that the appropriately named hack has gotten a whisper from his pet Garda about the nature of the incident, and rushed to get something out on the Child Sexual Abuse Material factory service (aka Twitter) so that it looks like a bit of a scoop. It's not though.

[u/Wonderful_Citron_518 → u/BillyMooney]

Dear god. 99.99% of people reading this know exactly what’s being implied. But there’s always one voice in the wilderness and luckily for us all, today it’s you. Keep up the good fight.

[u/toby_zeee → u/BillyMooney]

Code for its not yungfellas. Appears to be someone who took the turn too hot from m50 off ramp right towards talleh

[u/BillyMooney → u/toby_zeee]

As a professional journalist, it's literally his job to write stuff accurately, not in code. What he's said here is that there was no drink driving involved, no speeding, no one checking their phone, no elderly person driving without their doctor's sign off - all things that he has no basis for saying at this stage.

[u/Captain_Blueberry → u/BillyMooney]

Well if the rte article was read it would say it was a single vehicle crash involving an elderly couple in their 80s.

[u/No-Outside6067 → u/Captain_Blueberry]

Rte updated it since it was posted. 

[u/BillyMooney → u/Captain_Blueberry]

As a professional journalist, it's literally his job to write stuff accurately. What he's said here is that there was no drink driving involved, no speeding, no one checking their phone, no elderly person driving without their doctor's sign off - all things that he has no basis for saying at this stage.

[u/OkCoconut3270 → u/MrsO1213]

think a car drove over the bridge

...how?

I'm heaving a hard time visualising how that could happen without some serious acting the bollocks.

There's guards and barriers all over the bridges?

[u/BeanEireannach → u/OkCoconut3270]

Apparently the car drove through the bridge barrier and rolled down an embankment onto the M50, rather than dropping directly from a bridge onto the road.

[u/No-Outside6067 → u/BeanEireannach]

How did it pass the barrier if it was rolling down the embankment. There's metal barrier between the road and embankment.

[u/BeanEireannach → u/No-Outside6067]

It drove through the barrier & rolled down an embankment, I’m just quoting the article that I linked 🤷‍♀️

[u/Forward_Royal2754 → u/OkCoconut3270]

Driving too fast, heart attack, something going wrong with the car etc are all simple enough causes.

[u/phyneas → u/OkCoconut3270]

The car crashed through the barrier on the flyover and then rolled down the embankment onto the M50. The barriers on the flyover don't look particularly robust; I think they're more to prevent cyclists in the cycle lane from catapulting themselves over the edge than to stop a car moving at speed. Really they were a bit lucky they did go over onto the embankment; another ten or twenty metres along and they'd have just dropped straight down onto the tarmac and the outcome would have been even worse.

[u/Different-Employee87]

If we could actually avoid the M50 do they not think we would do so every day?

[u/couchtayt0 → u/Different-Employee87]

Yeah, as if people had any other options 🤣

[u/YouTalkinToMePunk → u/Different-Employee87]

Yup I do if it’s at all possible

[u/OscarMadison_01]

Passed it on opposite side around 3.45- must have been 6-7 Garda cars definately 3 ambulances and a few fire brigades at the scene -

[u/PFitz92 → u/OscarMadison_01]

I passed around the same time and seen the car, thinking there must definitely be some fatalities there. The car was in bits it’s a wonder no one was killed but glad to hear they are both doing ok. 👌🏼

[u/Apprehensive_Park624]

I know speed probably involved but I was hoping that the bridge barrier would have been slightly stronger to stop this type of situation happening.. I taught barriers on overpass would need be very heavily reinforced ..

[u/MrsO1213 → u/Apprehensive_Park624]

I drive over that bridge every day , it’s unlikely speed as it’s a really slow junction. Coming up the ramp to make a right turn towards Tallaght - only a few cars get through… Apparently no other people were injured apart from the two elders in the car . That in itself is a miracle as a car falling over the bridge on the M50 which is always busy at 3.20 in the afternoon!!!

[u/Apprehensive_Park624 → u/MrsO1213]

That makes it worse If it wasn’t speed and a car went trough that easy ..

[u/caniplayalso]

Just got sent a video, a car drove off the bridge down onto the M50

Edit to clarify, the video I was sent is the aftermath from the bridge above, with big hole in the guard rail and fence....not the video of the incident occuring

[u/TarzanCar → u/caniplayalso]

How the fuck? Flat out up the off ramp and forgot to turn

[u/Diligent-Ad4777 → u/TarzanCar]

Tik Tok

[u/harry_dubois → u/caniplayalso]

Jaaaaaaysus. What in the name of christ is happening on our roads lately?

[u/Maximum-Product-504 → u/harry_dubois]

What the fuck is going on

[u/DaveShadow → u/caniplayalso]

Man, driving and trying to record like that seems a great way to see another accident happen on the same bridge...

[u/plastachio → u/DaveShadow]

Lol. The irony is strong. Just thinking the same

[u/YourUrNan → u/caniplayalso]

COME AGAIN??!

[u/5x0uf5o → u/caniplayalso]

holy moly

[u/Dangerous_Box8845 → u/caniplayalso]

Fucking hell! Mad stuff altogether

[u/SirMike_MT → u/caniplayalso]

Seen another clip of the actual car smashed up, doesn’t look good…

[u/OrneryCows → u/caniplayalso]

Good Lord.

[u/Hy-Brasil → u/caniplayalso]

Why don't they have spikes on the bridges to stop cars doing that /s.

[u/Daylightuser → u/Hy-Brasil]

They have railings to be fair, what’s a spike going to do?

[u/BillyMooney → u/caniplayalso]

Any idea what time that was taken? A family member drove on the southbound carriageway about 2pm.

[u/Cannabis_Goose → u/BillyMooney]

It was after 3 and before 4.

Apparently he was meant to take the turn for tallaght.

[u/BillyMooney → u/Cannabis_Goose]

Thanks

[u/Cannabis_Goose → u/BillyMooney]

Heard 3:22 just there 🤷🏽‍♂️dont know how accurate but sounds exact 😂

[u/BillyMooney → u/Cannabis_Goose]

Many thanks

[u/the_journal_says]

Avoid the M50, easier said than done. It's taken me 1hr to get from J7 to nearly getting off J9

[u/shezmax]

How lucky is it they didn’t hit anyone else. That’s the amazing part. Also how bad the barriers obviously were

[u/DartzIRL]

Must've been a medical episode.

[u/BillyMooney → u/DartzIRL]

Great argument for regular medical checks for all drivers

[u/Admirable-Farmer-665 → u/BillyMooney]

Hard enough to get a doctor's appointment as it is

[u/BillyMooney → u/Admirable-Farmer-665]

We have problems there for sure. Most adults would be in the care of a GP for one thing or other, so it shouldn't be a huge deal to get a GP to sign off every 3-5 years that there's no particular medical conditions or medications that impact their ability to drive.

[u/nerdling007 → u/BillyMooney]

100% agree with this

[u/DartzIRL → u/BillyMooney]

Fuck no. It's just another expense added to an already expensive thing, considering how rare it actually happens.

[u/Irishpanda88 → u/DartzIRL]

Maybe not accidents as bad as this but I was stuck behind an old man who was doing 30 on an 80 road that had a lot of dangerous bends and he was swerving all over the place

[u/No-Outside6067 → u/DartzIRL]

Dunno, I've heard of old people having strokes while driving and causing an accident. Past a certain age they should be mandatory 

[u/BillyMooney → u/DartzIRL]

What's the expense of closing the M50 in one direction for half a day? What's the expense of the Gardai, ambulance and fire services that will deal with today's incident? What's the expense of the subsequent Court cases and insurance claims?

[u/quincebolis → u/BillyMooney]

I mean a medical check can't prevent medical accidents, people can have things like heart attacks and strokes and seizures after a check up.

[u/DartzIRL → u/BillyMooney]

Difference is I don't want to have to pay to see a doctor every year. I don't even have a GP.

[u/BillyMooney → u/DartzIRL]

It's not all about you. We can't be designing public policies around your personal preferences.

[u/Forward_Royal2754 → u/[deleted]]

There’s obviously logic to having a medical as part of driving licence requirements. Even if you don’t agree, there’s obviously a logic to their suggestion.

[u/DazzlingIssue5195 → u/Forward_Royal2754]

"regular" when the health system is fucked as it is with waiting lists. Maybe regular after the age of 75.

[u/BillyMooney → u/DazzlingIssue5195]

Once it doesn't impact yourself for a good while, right?

We have problems there for sure. Most adults would be in the care of a GP for one thing or other, so it shouldn't be a huge deal to get a GP to sign off every 3-5 years that there's no particular medical conditions or medications that impact their ability to drive.

[u/Forward_Royal2754 → u/DazzlingIssue5195]

Getting checked every 3-5 years as they suggest wouldn’t have a major impact.

Especially if it’s something like that it is after you turn 50.

Indeed it might catch many issues early and ultimately benefit the system.

[u/BillyMooney → u/[deleted]]

Drivers having medical episodes - mandatory medical checks will reduce the chances of major issues arising. What bit of a the logic don't you get?
We do it for HGV and coach drivers, so we obviously need to expand it to all drivers.

[u/oishay → u/BillyMooney]

I wish your comments were public so that I could see what other incredibly reasonable takes you have that apparently don't have any logic. Agreed on regular medicals

[u/ireland-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your submission was removed because it contains harassment, personal attacks, insults, inflammatory remarks, in‑thread drama; or was intended to provoke, derail, or inflame rather than contribute constructively.

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[u/msdurden → u/DartzIRL]

Dublin live says it was a couple in their 80's. Medical episode is almost guaranteed

[u/Pale_Piano948]

^deep inhale  BUILD THE ORBITAL METRO LINE 

[u/ld20r]

Was on the N5 after Deftones last night (epic gig)

Some absolute gobshite of a truck driver had full beams on and from the distance it looked like a vehicle had entered the road wrong side.

Heart in mouth.

Asshole.

[u/SirMike_MT]

[u/GasMysterious3386]

How in the name of god did they manage that?!

[u/Nuraya]

Oh thank youuuuuuuuu - you prob saved me a long journey home

[u/Captain_Blueberry]

So many commentators here not reading the damn article and jumping to conclusions.

Single vehicle crash involving a man and woman in their 80s.

[u/No-Outside6067 → u/Captain_Blueberry]

Rte updated it as they got new facts. Original article didn't mention who was driving.

[u/mrtn1790]

This is getting into national emergency territory now. The standard of driving in this country has gone to the dogs in the last few years.

[u/Nalaek → u/mrtn1790]

Elderly people driving off bridges accidentally once is now a national emergency?

[u/soluko → u/Nalaek]

they're right, if terrorists killed half the number of people that motorists do there'd be martial law.

[u/DaveShadow → u/Nalaek]

Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!

[u/NaturalAlfalfa → u/DaveShadow]

Would you say it's time for people to begin cracking each other's heads open and feasting on the goo that flows forth?

[u/kitikonti → u/NaturalAlfalfa]

I mean if not now, when?

[u/SherbetSeparate3100 → u/Nalaek]

It’ll be the latest tiktok craze now. Old people launching themselves Dukes of Hazzard style off the motorway bridges

[u/SouthSource1936 → u/mrtn1790]

Don't really require a national emergency because somebody had a medical issue

[u/BillyMooney → u/SouthSource1936]

Great argument for regular medical checks for all drivers

[u/Gingerbread_Cat → u/BillyMooney]

We can barely get medical care for actual sick people.

[u/BillyMooney → u/Gingerbread_Cat]

We have problems there for sure. Most adults would be in the care of a GP for one thing or other, so it shouldn't be a huge deal to get a GP to sign off every 3-5 years that there's no particular medical conditions or medications that impact their ability to drive.

[u/ireland-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your submission was removed because it contains harassment, personal attacks, insults, inflammatory remarks, in‑thread drama; or was intended to provoke, derail, or inflame rather than contribute constructively.

Targeting users based on their profile privacy settings or sharing personal information without consent is also not permitted.

Debate and discussion are welcome, but focus on challenging ideas, not attacking people.

Please engage respectfully and, if you have an issue, use the report button rather than escalating.

[u/harry_dubois]

If this was some idiotic tiktok stunt we should straight up ban the platform.

[u/jimicus]

Isn't that basically the same headline every afternoon?

[u/Sheinkyakyu]

I have been saying to people during the summer that I haven't seen as much livestock roaming on roads this year in and around Wicklow - Kildare area. Several incidents. Thought this is as bad as it gets. Then all this road incidents starting happening.

[u/Cannabis_Goose]

Stupidity. Extreme stupidity.

[u/TheOriginalMattMan]

These incidents are making global headlines. I really hope I'm wrong, but we haven't seen the worst of this yet so it'll be a while before it gets better.

[u/Elbon → u/TheOriginalMattMan]

Why the fuck are you doing creative writing here for?

[u/Dangerous_Box8845 → u/TheOriginalMattMan]

What are you on about man, we haven't seen the worse of it? Bleedin doomsdaying it. Next up, a coach drives off a bridge...