A controversial online road safety campaign has forced thousands of drivers to listen to a chilling safety message, just in time for what is the worst weekend for fatalities on Ireland's roads.

An advertisement for a 2003 Subaru WRX Impreza on the ‘buy and sell’ website DoneDeal tricked potential buyers to call a phone number for more information, only to be forced instead to listen to a road safety announcement.

The 'boy-racer' car was advertised online for the bargain price of €3,000 and over 5,000 motorists rang the phone number to speak to a seller called John Murphy.

However, when they rang the number they heard a message from a boy-racer driver who had killed a six-year-old girl as a result of his reckless driving.

“John here. Sorry I can’t answer the call,” the message said.

“If you’re calling about the car, yes I still have it for sale. I have it about six months. It’s quick, so quick I didn’t even see her.

“She was only six years old for God’s sake,” it continued.

“Make me an offer and take it away. I can’t stand looking at it anymore.

“Just don’t drive like I did.”

The message concludes with; “Brought to you by Mayo County Council as part of a road safety campaign.”

Despite the obvious hoax, a total of 167 callers still left their contact details on the voicemail.

One potential buyer is even heard saying; “He didn’t crash the car, he just hit a girl.”

The clever road safety campaign was carried out just in time for the June Bank Holiday weekend, the worst Bank Holiday weekend of the year for fatalities on Ireland’s roads.

Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey has warned drivers to slow down this coming weekend. There will be an increased Garda presence on the roads this weekend urging motorists to slow down.

“There will also be a National Slow Down Day tomorrow between 7am and 7pm where awareness will be raised of the dangers and risks of driving at speed,” Assistant Commissioner Twomey told RTE’s Radio One.

“We have written to 130 private companies, the individual Government departments and local authorities across the country asking them to spread the word to individuals who in turn will talk to their friends and family about reducing their speed on the country’s roads,” he continued.

“Speed is a major contribution to all road fatalities. If you reduce your speed, you reduce the risk of a road fatality,” he said.

“We can prevent this road carnage if we slow down.”

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