A man has been seriously injured after the tractor he was driving was involved in a road traffic accident with a lorry on the M9 northbound near Co. Kilkenny.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the crash, which took place on November 16 at 5pm close to junction 10, the exit for Thomastown.
The road was closed yesterday between junction 10 and junction 12 for a technical examination as diversions were put in place by Gardai.
The road remained closed overnight before opening at 7am this morning, Gardai confirmed.
Kilkenny: Serious RTC on the M9 northbound at jct 10. road closed between Jct 12 Granagh and jct 10 for technical examinations.
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) November 16, 2016
[yes-app]
[/yes-app]
The driver of the tractor suffered serious injuries and was brought to Waterford Regional Hospital and the driver of the lorry was moved to St Lukes Hospital in Co. Kilkenny with non-serious injuries.
Meanwhile, another crash in Co. Donegal yesterday between a car and a tractor towing a trailer has left a female occupant of the car seriously injured.
The crash which happened on the N13, the main road between Letterkenny and Derry, at around 5.30pm yesterday evening near Castlecooley, Burt.
The injured woman was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Gardai at the Newtowncunningham station are investigating the accident.
Regulations for driving a tractor on the Motorway
Tractors can be driven on the motorway in the Republic of Ireland, providing that the tractor is capable of reaching a minimum speed of 50km/h.
If you are driving your tractor on the motorway and towing a trailer, the trailer must be capable by design of being drawn at a speed of 50km/h or higher, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
Since January 1, 2016, both tractors and trailers are required to be fitted with a speed disc indicating their design speed.
To be eligible to drive on the motorway agricultural vehicles will be required to meet a number of standards in relation to braking, suspension systems, tyres and lighting under the new legislation.