Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 1

Written Answers. - Road Safety Strategy.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

360 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Transport his views on the need for an expansion of breath testing on a random basis in view of the statistics in relation to fatalities and injuries on the road associated with alcohol consumption; the way in which the system here compares to other EU countries in this regard; and the countries which currently have the lowest level of drink driver associated accidents. [25424/02]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

The Road Safety Strategy, 1998-2002 refers to the fact that international research indicates that alcohol is a factor in up to 40% of road accidents and estimates in Ireland suggest that the problem is of similar proportions in this country. Specific data relating to the number of drink driver associated accidents in EU countries is not available. The NRA Road Accident Facts indicate that alcohol is a factor in 25% of all accidents and 33% of fatal accidents.

Drink driving is a key target area for the Government's road safety strategy, and will form an integral part of the next strategy for the period beyond 2002. The specific target in the current strategy sought to achieve a reduction of 25% in the number of fatal accidents occurring between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. – these accidents are commonly drink related. This is a challenging target and provisional information for 2001 shows that the number of fatal road accidents occurring between these hours fell by 14.4% when compared with the base year of 1997. This reduction was achieved against a background of the number of drink driving detections having increased by 53% in 2001 over 1998.

The strategy also provided that consideration should be given to some change in the present legal requirement for a member of the Garda Síochána to have formed opinion that a person has consumed alcohol before requesting a road side breathalyser test. At that time it was stated that the Government did not envisage the unqualified application of random breath testing within the lifetime of the strategy but that an extension of the circumstances under which a breath test can take place may be warranted.

Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act, 2002 extends the grounds on which a member of the Garda Síochána may require a driver to provide a preliminary breath specimen. The section provides that where a driver is involved in a road accident or where a Garda considers that a road traffic offence has been committed, he or she may require that the driver provide the specimen. This is in addition to the present grounds where the Garda has formed an opinion that a driver has consumed alcohol. My Department is currently consulting with the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and the gardaí in relation to the commencement of this section.

I have requested information from the European Commission in relation to application of random breath testing in other EU member states. When this information comes available, I will forward it to the Deputy.