I thank the committee for the opportunity to address the important issue of road safety and the commitment of the Garda Síochána to reduce fatal and serious injuries on our roads.
In line with the Government's policy, road safety is a key priority for the Garda Síochána, featuring prominently in our policing plan for 2008. More importantly, it is a priority and concern for communities, families and friends of those who have lost their lives on the roads.
The approach of the Garda Síochána to meeting those concerns is focused and determined. We have a dedicated core of people, who use available technology, to target enforcement activity at locations most prone to collisions and loss of life through speeding and driving while drunk.
The strength of the Garda Traffic Corps, 531 in 2004, has doubled in the past three years. I am committed to an additional allocation of personnel during 2008, bringing the total personnel strength to 1,200. The work of the Garda Traffic Corps supplements the role and function of all members of the Garda Síochána who have a responsibility to ensure safety on our roads. I am also committed to ensuring the Garda Traffic Corps has the necessary technological resources to fulfil its role.
The main focus is on targeting enforcement where it is required. Up to 400 hand-held laser devices are used in targeting speed detection. These allow for flexibility and support the specific targeting of collision-prone locations and locations where ongoing research indicates significant speeding breaches are being committed.
This year the existing Garda mobile speed detection vans, known as GATSOs, will be replaced and upgraded with digital technology and additional units will be brought into service. It is hoped to have these state-of-the-art units available at the frontline of road safety enforcement presently.
The Garda Síochána will commence procurement of in-car camera systems with automatic number plate recognition, ANPR. I recently obtained financial approval for 100 of these units. In addition to a speed enforcement capability, ANPR camera systems have the capacity to check vehicles and identify those listed as being stolen, suspect, associated with, or cited as connected with persistent offending. The system will immediately alert the Garda in the patrol vehicle of the relevant details and will facilitate an interception where required.
Our approach is focused and determined. We will enforce the law and continue to target those who drive at excessive speed, those who drink and drive and those who make reckless decisions on the road, showing a complete disregard for their safety and those around them.
I make no apology for working to make our roads and our communities safer whether it is through speed enforcement, mandatory alcohol-testing or requiring people to wear seat belts. Our aim is to change driver behaviour and is the reason enforcement is geared towards high visibility and designed to enhance compliance.
During 2007 the Garda Síochána maintained a high level of visible enforcement activities on our roads with a view to reducing the incidents of fatal and serious injury collision. As a result of these activities, 458,504 fixed charge notices were issued with the principal offences being speeding, 198,820; seatbelts, 30,413; mobile telephones, 32,612.
We have analysed collision data to identify locations in the road network and the times at each location where there is a propensity for collisions. Based on this analysis, Garda activities are prioritised in areas and times when the highest propensity for collisions exists.
More than 900 collision-prone locations have been identified through the process, the details of which are published on the Garda Síochána website. Further detailed analysis was carried out in 2007 to identify locations where speed related collisions occur. The results of this analysis have been circulated to each Garda division as part of a validation process which will be completed shortly. Based on the results of this analysis, speed enforcement will then be prioritised in those locations where the greatest tendency for speed related collisions occur. It is also intended to publish those locations on the Garda website.
International research indicates the second greatest cause of road deaths, often combined with speeding, is drink-driving. In the European Union, it is estimated that between 2% to 3% of road journeys are associated with an illegal blood alcohol concentration, resulting in 30% to 40% of driver deaths.
Since the introduction of mandatory alcohol testing in July 2006, drink-driving has been a continued focus for Garda enforcement. Up to 18,821 detected drink-driving incidents were recorded on PULSE in 2007.
Members have available to them Garda statistics and analysis on collisions during 2007 and in the first five weeks of 2008, in so far as these can be compiled for these periods. Those statistics should never hide the fact that behind them are grieving families, devastated communities and traumatised friends.
While in overall terms the total number of collisions in 2007 was down 12 on the previous year to 309 and the total fatalities was down 27 to 338, some stark facts give rise to concern. The 16-25 year old age group still made up a significant percentage of total road deaths for the year. It represents 33% of driver fatalities and 47% of passengers. Some 75% of all fatalities are male and fatal collisions are more likely to occur on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The highest category of fatalities in 2007 occurred between 4 p.m. and midnight — 129 incidents, 38% of the total.
Many of these collisions are preventable and much of the loss of life, pain and devastation avoidable. The Garda and other agencies involved have more to do to change driver behaviour. Over the past three years we have greatly increased the number of people dedicated to road safety enforcement. We continue to improve the technology available to them. We are enhancing our analysis capability to ensure resources are targeted where they are required and where they can save lives.
The Garda Síochána will continue to enforce the law. We do not want to catch people speeding or drink-driving but to stop them. We want to change driver behaviour and reduce the loss of life on our roads.