"Irish" crossing: What is it and how should the driver deal with it?

The Irish crossing, the crossing of which is quite dangerous in periods of heavy rainfall, should be avoided by vehicles and pedestrians.

In order for a driver to cross an Irish crossing with his vehicle, he must be sufficiently trained to be able to discern the height of the water, also to know the capabilities of his car, as well as the height of the vehicle from the ground and the its weight.

There is usually a sign before the Irish crossings that warns us that we are approaching them, because -if it does not exist- it is very difficult for an inexperienced driver to spot them, with negative consequences in most cases.

It is very easy for a vehicle if it is in such a situation to lose control of the driver and to be swept away by the water that crosses the passage with great momentum.

In such a case it is impossible for the vehicle to be able to get out of the flow of the river that will have swept it away, as well as quite difficult for the person to get out of the vehicle without being swept away.

Even in the little water that can pass it is easy not to notice stones or various other objects that will cause damage to the vehicle.

For all these reasons, then, it would be good to avoid moving on an Irish crossing even with a small amount of water, and let us have to travel more kilometers to reach our destination.

Our safety is paramount!

By Manolis Gialitakis