State on course for road safety record

Ireland is set to become the second safest state in the EU for road users if the rate of road deaths continues its current downward trend.

Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority revealed this morning that 175 people have lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year, 30 fewer than the corresponding date in 2010.

Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey said the number represented 175 “empty chairs this Christmas” and warned against complacency.

However, he acknowledged Ireland now has a chance of keeping road deaths below 200 for the first time since records began. This would bring Ireland from sixth place in the EU annual toll of lowest numbers of deaths to second place behind Sweden, which takes large amounts of cars off the roads for winter months.

Launching their annual Christmas road safety message, the Garda and the Road Safety Authority appealed for all road users to maintain the “big change” in attitude to the four most lethal offences of excessive speed, use of mobile phones, drink driving and not wearing seat belts.

Mr Twomey said some 300,000 fines had been imposed in these categories last year, a level of enforcement which made a significant contribution to the reduction in the numbers of road deaths.

RSA chief executive Noel Brett also praised high levels of enforcement He said privatised speed cameras, new equipment and the Garda commitment to enforcement had seen Ireland doing more in the last 10 years than other countries have taken 30 years to do.

Chief Supt Aidan Reid of the Dublin Traffic Division confirmed Dublin now has the safest roads of all 27 EU capitals in terms of deaths and serious injuries. He said intelligence lead, analytical road safety strategy over the last 10 years was showing results and “we are very encouraged that it has resulted in a decrease in road fatalities.”

The road safety campaign over the coming weeks will focus on detecting drunk or drugged drivers. speeding and seat belt usage. There will also be a special appeal to drivers to make sure lights are working correctly and fog lights are switched off when not needed.