Vol. 495 No. 1
38 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that road accidents do not remain the biggest killer in the 15 to 24 age group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19302/98]
39 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to change the national road speed limits to further assist the campaign to reduce road deaths and injuries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19266/98]
40 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of persons who currently hold a provisional driving licence and who are entitled to drive unaccompanied; the number of persons in this category for each of the years from 1995 to 1997; the number within this category who have failed a driving test during that period; if he will change the policy towards this category of persons in view of the appalling statistics concerning road deaths and accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17657/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 to 40, inclusive, together.
The Government Strategy for Road Safety 1998-2002 sets out a co-ordinated and prioritised range of policies and measures to improve road safety. It establishes demanding targets for achievement within its period; these are designed to save at least 172 lives annually compared to a "business as usual" scenario.
Improving road safety is important in public health terms because an average 35 years of life is saved for each prevented road fatality: this represents a much greater saving of life than the prevention of any of the common life threatening diseases.
International research establishes that human action is a contributory factor in more than 90 per cent of road accidents. The strategy accordingly emphasises policies and measures aimed at improving road user behaviour and establishing a culture of road use that is both precautionary and pro-active in relation to road safety. The strategy also aligns itself with road safety plans from other countries in recognising that the modification of human behaviour in the areas of speeding, alcohol and seat belt wearing holds the greatest and most immediate potential for realising road safety gains.
It is evident there is scope for considerable reduction of many vehicle speeds on Irish roads given the scale of speed limit exceedances being recorded by the National Roads Authority on the inter-urban network. The Government's first priority therefore is to secure a much higher level of compliance with existing speed limits which have been comprehensively revised during the present decade and which are broadly in line with European practice. However, the option of revising speed limits downwards is not ruled out if enforcement of the existing limits does not show good progress towards the strategy goal of cutting present levels of excessive speeding by 50 per cent.
Measures to counter speeding, which will include greater use of automated speed detection systems and of traffic calming, are calculated to account for some 29 per cent of the life savings targeted by the Government's strategy.
Age and length of driving experience are important indicators of the likelihood of safe driving behaviour. An EU survey shows Ireland to have one of the most experienced driver profiles in Europe, with the average driver having over 20 years driving experience. Ireland has a relatively small percentage, 6 per cent, of its regular driving population under the age of 25. However this age group accounts for some 32 per cent of driver deaths, although the Garda report that there is no evidence of drivers on provisional licences contributing disproportionately to road accidents.
The Government Road Safety Strategy proposes improvements in driver training and testing, as well as in educational programmes, as complements to its primary counter-measures in relation to speeding, alcohol and seat belt wearing. Quality certification is being encouraged for the driver instructor register; a theory test will be introduced next year for first time applicants for provisional licences; and a significant reduction is proposed for the longer term in the number of drivers relying on a provisional licence.
The strategy has not prioritised any change in the position whereby persons may drive unaccompanied for the period of a second provisional category B driving licence. The estimated number of persons holding a second provisional category B driving licence for the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 are 78,000, 83,000 and 90,000 respectively. Details of the numbers of such licence holders who would have failed a driving test within that period are not available.
Some 23 per cent of all persons killed and injured on Irish roads are in the 15 to 24 age group. The younger age groups are accordingly a target for much of the road safety education and awareness campaigns conducted by our public authorities. The strategy proposes to intensify action of this kind through new inputs to be developed by the National Safety Council to both primary and secondary school curriculums.
My question related to fatalities among the 15 to 24 age group. I wish to pursue two points with the Minister. The Minister has repeated that this age group accounts for 23 per cent of all people killed on the roads and 32 per cent of driver fatalities. Will he indicate what measures, if any, are aimed specifically at that category? Will he indicate what measures he envisages to deal with the fact that that age group is also disproportionately represented among the people who, as pedestrians, are killed in traffic accidents? The Minister has referred to speed controls, unmarked speed detection vehicles and traffic cameras. Will he agree with me, and with an Assistant Commissioner of the Garda Síochána who takes the same view, that since prevention is better than cure, highly visible, prominent and marked Garda vehicles would do far more to reduce speeding than ones which people do not see until they are caught?
We will come to this on a later question, but is the Minister convinced that in order to improve the quality of driving, it is now necessary for mandatory provisions and standards for the training of driving instructors and the preparation of driving testers?
There is another question on that point, to which we will come later.
The Minister mentioned it in his reply.
The number of deaths on the road, whether of young or old, drivers, motorcyclists or pedestrians, is a matter of major concern to everyone in this House and the promotion of road safety is supported by all parties. There is need to change the attitude of road users and to change the culture as regards speeding, the use of seat belts, which is at a disappointingly low level, and driving after consuming illegally high quantities of alcohol. We have targeted young people and there has been some culture change among that age group — they take a much more responsible approach to drinking and driving than hitherto, and one hopes that change will take place across society. Young people are an important part of the Government's road safety strategy, they are being targeted and the National Safety Council is developing special educational packs for teachers and pupils at primary and second levels, which will also involve parents, in order to bring about this cultural change and to promote the need to exercise great caution when using the roads.
It is disappointing that the number killed on the road has increased in the past three to four years and the Government will make every effort to get this message across. The strategy commits us to provide a wide range of new resources — for instance, making greater use of information technology to assist in processing a greater volume of the Garda's enforcement work.
I agree with the Deputy — this is a personal view — there is need for a much higher profile on our roads to discourage those drivers who are tempted to exceed the speed limit and to apprehend those who drive after consuming alcohol. There is a commitment in the strategy to acquire additional vehicles which would have a high profile on the roads.
Get them to turn on the blue lights, everyone would see them then.
I hope the result of this increased effort will become more evident because it is a major deterrent. It also involves the commitment of much more Garda time. The Commissioner and the Garda have taken their own initiatives in this area, such as Operation Lifesaver which has been extremely successful. I hope that level of enforcement can be achieved across the country. I agree the law enforcement agencies should have a higher profile on the highways but it boils down to the attitude of drivers to how they operate their vehicles and the courtesy they show to other road users. Unfortunately we do not have the necessary level of courtesy and care to eliminate road deaths.
The Minister of State is right, there is grave concern among all parties about the increased carnage on Irish roads, which is happening daily and unfortunately is visible to us all. I came across an accident just north of Fermoy this morning, in which a woman was tragically killed. The issues are put into focus when one comes across a scene like that.
A question please, we have a limited amount of time.
We questioners cannot filibuster, unlike the Minister.
We are taking three questions together, the Minister has managed to say a lot, and it is important to provide the context.
It is important but in fairness to other Members you should confine yourself to a question and try to elicit as much information as possible from the Minister.
That is what we would like to do.
Does the Minister of State agree with the view put forward on a recent radio programme by the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, about whether it is time to look again at the national speed limits, under which a 60 miles per hour limit applies on a bad county road and a national dual carriageway alike? Would it not be more appropriate to look at the ability of these roads to take speed? Is a review ongoing or is the matter being discussed in the Department?
The high level group of experts who drew up the strategy for the Government did not recommend an immediate change in the current speed limits but emphasised the need to implement many of the proposals in the strategy. This is kept under review and if, after a reasonable period, many parts of the strategy are in place but speeding continues to be a major concern and cause of tragic accidents, the position will be reconsidered with a view to reducing the limits.
Will the Minister confirm to the House, in respect of Question No. 40, the total number of drivers with second provisional licences who are driving unsupervised on our roads — is it 250,000 or 90,000? It is truly shocking that such a large number of people——
Deputy Hayes, you were doing well——
A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Ministers have been filibustering in the House for the past 20 minutes and I am entitled to my say. I am not an unruly Member.
This is Question Time and you are entitled to ask a question, not make a statement. The same rule applies to all Members.
I ask for the same courtesy for all Members.
You are getting the same courtesy.
Does the Minister accept it is crucial that provisional licence holders be tested quickly? On 5 March he told the House the delay was six months. Is he aware that now, in October, the delay is eight months? Does he accept the policies he put in place to effect change in this area are not working?
The figure is 90,000 provisional licence holders, not the other figure mentioned by the Deputy. When I previously answered questions about the waiting period for a driving test, I said the delay was most unsatisfactory and unacceptable but there was not much I could do about it while negotiations were continuing with the driver testers' union. I am happy to inform the House those negotiations have been brought to a successful conclusion and arrangements have now been agreed which will result in increased productivity on the part of the existing cadre of driver testers. This will also involve the employment on contract of additional driver testers to clear the unsatisfactory backlog which has developed. Agreement has also been reached on the appointment of additional full-time driver testers and arrangements will be made in that regard with the Department of Finance and the Civil Service Commission. We hope that will enable us to reduce the waiting period to our target, which is that people will have a test within ten weeks of applying.
In regard to people who could show that they needed a driving licence to qualify for employment, tests were arranged wherever possible. The House is aware of that. The facility has been availed of by Members who approached the Department, and the Department has always cooperated in that regard. Nevertheless, the length of time it took to get a driving test was excessive and that was because of the huge increase in the numbers seeking driving tests and the inability of the Department to keep up with that increase until a satisfactory arrangement had been entered into with the union representing driver testers. I hope that we will now be able to reduce the list very quickly.
Has the Minister considered introducing a policy of randomly testing drivers' ability to drive once they have achieved a standard through the test? Many drivers, having passed the test, take up the most pathetic driving habits when they are qualified drivers.
Inherent in the question is the suggestion that the fact that a person holds a driving licence does not mean he or she will always drive in an exemplary fashion. The holding of a licence or otherwise is not deemed to be a factor in the accident statistics of the Garda Síochána. The task facing me is to ensure that the existing driver testing system operates efficiently, before we start thinking about a new generation of tests.
