150 years today

This is the late Mary Ward. She’s the late because 150 years ago today she became the first known fatality following a road traffic accident when she was thrown from her cousins’ steam powered vehicle in Birr, Co Offaly in Ireland.

Illustration for article titled 150 years today
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Mary’s great granddaughter is an actress and has appeared on Dr Who.

The steam vehicle was broken up on the day of her death as per her family’s custom for horse drawn vehicles.