Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 5

Written Answers. - Pedestrian Fatalities.

Denis Naughten

Question:

365 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the measures he intends to take to reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities on the roads; the number of such facilities and injuries in each of the past five years; the age groups involved and locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14693/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

Statistics relating to road accidents, based on information provided by the Garda Síochána, are published by the National Roads Authority in its annual Road Accident Facts reports. The most recent report is in respect of 2001 and that report, along with reports relating to previous years, are available in the Oireachtas Library. Provisional figures available for 2002 show that 86 pedestrians were killed. A final figure for 2002 will not be available until the report for that year is published. Statistics in respect of pedestrian injuries in 2002 are not available at this time.

The number of pedestrians killed (K) and injured (I) arising from road accidents from 1997 to 2001, and broken down by age, is as follows:

Age Group	1997	K	I	1998	K	I	1999	K	I	2000	K	I	2001	K	I
0-5	2	78	5	80	3	71	3	56	5	54
6-9	4	136	3	108	4	90	3	78	2	64
10-14	5	160	7	122	3	112	2	98	4	103
15-17	7	92	4	61	2	56	4	58	1	52
18-20	1	88	5	85	7	64	7	86	10	62
21-24	12	69	6	77	4	68	3	57	4	61
25-34	11	120	12	126	4	93	11	120	13	118
35-44	7	82	11	84	8	69	8	70	4	78
45-54	8	85	13	77	9	71	9	71	8	66
55-64	10	73	9	59	11	48	10	52	10	56
65 and over	31	118	35	120	30	91	22	92	22	78
Unknown	32	528	4	470	7	473	3	409	6	321
Total	130	1,629	114	1,469	92	1,306	85	1,247	89	1,113

Information relating to the local of pedestrian accidents is not contained in the reports.

During the lifetime of the Government Road Safety Strategy 1998-2002, the issue of vulnerable road users was given specific recognition. In the case of pedestrians this was given particular prominence through the promotion by the National Safety Council of major road safety educational programmes targeted at both first and second level school children. In addition, the question of pedestrian attention to road safety was graphically promoted through a major publicity campaign, which was also promoted by the National Safety Council.

Proposals for a Directive concerned with improving the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle have been made by the European Commission and are under consideration by Member States. Ireland fully supports the proposal.

The High Level Group on Road Safety has been tasked with the preparation of a new Road Safety Strategy, one of the key areas of which will be pedestrian safety. The preparation of the new strategy will take account of the achievements in meeting the targets set out in the Road to Safety Strategy 1998-2002, a comprehensive review of that strategy, and the evolving developments in relation to the proposed EU Third Road Safety Action Plan. Preparation of the new strategy is well advanced and I expect to bring specific proposals for the strategy to Government later this year.