A number of motorists escaped injury this morning following separate collisions on the M18 motorway.
Three cars were involved in an incident on the M18 northbound between junction 15 Crusheen and junction 16 Gort at Rathwilladoon about a kilometre beyond the county boundary with Galway. Emergency services were alerted at around 4.30am.
It’s understood one vehicle lost control following a hail shower and that two others skidded and collided with barrier while trying to avoid the first.
Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis station as well as crew from Galway Fire and Rescue Service based in Gort responded to the incident. Gardaí and National Ambulance Service paramedics also attended the scene.
The occupants of all three cars were assessed by paramedics however no one was seriously injured.
An emergency traffic management system was put in place to allow the safe movement of traffic past the incident which occurred in the hard shoulder and lane 1. The route was fully reopened once the vehicles had been recovered from the scene.
Earlier, at around 1.50am, emergency services responded to single vehicle collision on the M18 southbound between junction 17 at Ardrahan and junction 16 Gort.
The driver of the car was assessed at the scene by ambulance paramedics and was found to have been uninjured. Gardaí also attended that incident. It’s understood the weather may also have been a factor in that collision.
Temperatures are forecast to drop below 0C again tonight so caution on the roads is urged.
The forecast
Tonight
Tonight, showers will be very isolated and will die out completely. Good clear spells with frost and icy stretches developing. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +1 degrees with light to moderate northwest breezes.
Tomorrow
On Saturday morning, any frost and icy patches will clear. It will be a dry day with sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 8 or 9 degrees with light to moderate northwest breezes.