Company appeals to Mobile Users to be extra vigilant while driving over the Bank Holiday weekend

Thursday 2nd August 2007: With the August Bank holiday weekend noted as one of the busiest on our nation's roads, Vodafone Ireland is urging all mobile phone users to be extra careful while driving over the coming weekend.

Vodafone Ireland is reiterating its call to drivers to take heed of the "top tips" which have been developed by the company in order to encourage safer driving. These tips are:

• Never use a hand-held phone while driving;
• Don’t dial and drive;
• Save the call until later;
• If in doubt pull over;
• Never try to use text, picture or internet services while driving;
• Avoid stressful calls;
• Never try to take down notes or phone numbers.

Olivia Dobbs, Corporate Responsibility, Vodafone Ireland said "At Vodafone Ireland, we want our customers and mobile phone users generally to stay safe on our roads. By taking note of our “top tips”, drivers can decrease the risk of being involved in an accident on our nation's roads.

"With large scale events such as the GAA quarter finals in Dublin, the Galway races, music festivals, arts festivals and concerts happening all around the country combined with the increased numbers simply getting away for the weekend, there will be increased traffic volumes and drivers will need to be extra vigilant. One way to do this is to refrain from allowing their mobile phone or anything else distract them. We're appealing to everyone to make and extra effort to be careful over this busy weekend", she added.

Vodafone Ireland is committed to promoting safe driving on our roads and will be using its Vodafone Live! portal to remind its customers of the importance of refraining from using a mobile phone while driving.

The portal, which receives more than 60,000 hits per month, will carry a "Drive Safely" message for the entire August Bank Holiday weekend. Users will also be encouraged to read Vodafone's "top tips" for safe driving on the Vodafone Live! portal to be in with a chance to receive an exclusive weekend away at The g hotel, Galway.

The Vodafone Ireland "Drive Safely" campaign, which runs from Thursday 2nd through to Tuesday 7th August, is the latest in a series of Safe Driving corporate responsibility campaigns by Vodafone in recent years.

For further information contact:
Lorraine Lally FD 087-1214073
Olivia Dobbs, Vodafone 087-2417731