Vol. 541 No. 4
425 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the initiative to encourage the use of a designated driver (details supplied) which was put in place for the August bank holiday weekend was deemed a success; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23148/01]
The initiative to encourage the use of a designated driver is one of the many initiatives introduced by the Garda with a view to improving road safety. I welcome any initiative designed to improving our overall road safety record.
Drink driving is one of the principal offences, along with speeding, seat belt offences and dangerous/careless driving, identified as a cause of road deaths. All the agencies involved in road safety, in particular, the National Safety Council, promote anti-drink driving campaigns. In this regard, the designated driver campaign over the August weekend is an example of such initiatives. The Garda are hopeful that such initiatives will make a positive contribution to road safety. I refer to the Government's National Strategy on Road Safety, 1998-2002, which contains a package of measures encompassing new legislation, enhanced enforcement, road improvement works and improvements to the driver education system.
In July 2001 the inter-agency High Level Group on Road Safety published the third progress report on the implementation of the national strategy. This report highlights the action items on improving road safety which have been implemented or are in the process of implementation, including those action items which have to be implemented by the end of 2002. Improved driver education, including initiatives such as the designated driver initiative is an important element of the national strategy. It is difficult to quantify precisely the effect of the designated driver initiative. However, all initiatives designed to promote road safety are to be welcomed.
