Young man dies in horror New Year's Day crash on M7 motorway

AMENDMENT: As there are currently issues with the phone lines at Kildare Garda station, anyone with any information in relation to this collision is asked to contact Newbridge Garda station on 045 431 212, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

UPDATE: An Garda Síochána has announced that the road has reopened.

Gardaí have confirmed the death of a young man in Kildare and after the car in which he was driving hit a bank on the M7 in Kildare town.

Gardaí confirmed the death in an appeal for witnesses following what they said was a single-vehicle fatal road traffic collision on the M7 at Curraghfarm near Kildare on Monday evening, January 1.

A garda statement said that gardaí and emergency services were alerted at approximately 8.45pm after a car travelling westbound between Junction 12 Newbridge and Junction 13 Kildare town left the motorway and struck the grass bank.

They said one of the passengers in the car, a male aged in his 20s was pronounced deceased at the scene. The statement from Garda HQ said the driver, a male also aged in his 20s was taken to Tallaght University Hospital, his injuries are not life-threatening.

Two additional passengers, both males in their 20s, did not require immediate hospital treatment.

The M7 westbound was closed between Junction 12 and Junction 13 to facilitate a technical examination of the scene by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators and diversions are in place. 

Gardaí at Kildare Station are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them.
 
Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and who were travelling on the M7 between J12 and J13 at the time of the collision are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí.
 
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kildare Garda Station 045 527730, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.