There is increased public and political concern about road safety. Ireland, in common with most European Union countries, has greatly improved its road safety performance over the past 20 years but economic growth, which is increasing road travel and driver and vehicle numbers, is now threatening to erode these gains and to re-establish adverse trends. Already in 1998, 129 people have died in road accidents. We need intensified action for road safety.
Some months ago the high level group on road safety was mandated to develop and submit to Government a national road safety strategy. I spoke in the House last November about this strategic approach to road safety policy. It is a new and critically important initiative. It will provide better co-ordination and prioritisation of existing road safety activities and a platform for new initiatives.
The development of the strategy has provided full opportunity for assessing our efforts and has highlighted the need to reinforce and, where appropriate, redirect those efforts. All aspects of existing arrangements, measures and approaches have been reviewed in this context. This is the first time a structured and systematic approach has been taken to road safety policy in Ireland. A similar strategic approach has been adopted by some of the countries in Europe with the best road safety records, including the Netherlands and Sweden. I am confident that it will benefit Irish performance considerably. Work on the strategy will shortly be completed and it will be presented to Government prior to its publication. I look forward to the support of the House for measures to be taken in the context of the strategy to improve Ireland's road safety performance and reduce the high toll of death and injury on our roads.
In the meantime, the State and its agencies have continued to be active in relation to road safety. A substantially increased grant has been provided to the National Safety Council in 1998 for the purpose of improving road safety and promoting road accident prevention. The National Roads Authority has increased its provision in 1998 for its low cost safety measures programme and for other road safety related measures. Garda enforcement of road traffic law continues to be given a high priority under the direction of the National Traffic Policy Bureau. The Garda Operation Lifesaver is continuing through 1998 and its effectiveness is constantly reviewed and improvements made to enhance enforcement as necessary.
It is a cause for grave concern that despite more frequent reminders from the National Safety Council of the risks and consequences and despite improved enforcement by the Garda, which serves as a further reminder and seeks to punish offenders, we are still experiencing a high incidence of death and injuries from road accidents.
The causes of road accidents are many and are generally well known to us — excessive and inappropriate speeding and drink driving are the primary contributory factors to road accidents in Ireland. These so called "driver actions", combined with a significant percentage of drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts, are the primary causes of the high levels of death and injury resulting from road accidents here as elsewhere.
Today we are considering just one of those accident causes or contributory factors. This debate is focusing on the implications for road safety of alcohol abuse. There is significant data available from other countries and international organisations about the effects of alcohol and the extent to which it is a factor in road accidents.
Small quantities of alcohol can impair a driver's concentration. Factors such as fatigue, illness, stress and drugs can exacerbate the effects and can cause severe concentration loss even when a small quantity of alcohol is consumed. When the blood/alcohol level exceeds 80 milligrammes, the normal reaction is over-estimation of ability, impairment of peripheral vision and of the eye's reaction to lights and dark. Judgment of distance and speed of oncoming vehicles, impairment of ability to react and a tendency to take risks can actually set in at lower levels. It is important, therefore, that all drivers should heed the message of the National Safety Council, to never drink and drive. This is the safest approach.
It is estimated in this country that alcohol is a factor in 25 per cent of all road accidents and in 33 per cent of fatal accidents. The blame lies with irresponsible drivers and pedestrians. One third of pedestrians killed have very high blood alcohol levels and most of these accidents occur during the hours of darkness.
These figures are a serious indictment of Irish social practices. We must question whether we should be willing in this country to accept a level of death and injury caused by drivers and pedestrians who have consumed alcohol, in order to maintain a certain lifestyle. It is clear from the accident statistics that behavioural changes are necessary to effect a reduction in the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads where alcohol is a contributory factor. Every single drink related accident is a totally avoidable and unnecessary waste of life and limb.
Drink driving law in Ireland has been recently and comprehensively reviewed. The Road Traffic Acts, 1994 and 1995 reduced the maximum permissible blood alcohol limit to 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood and put in place one of the most stringent penalty systems in the EU. We all recall the protracted public and political discussion engaged in at the time of the introduction of that legislation. It is now incumbent upon us as legislators to support the implementation of the new limits so as to contribute to a reduction in accident and injury numbers.
The EU Commission's Road Safety Programme for 1997 to 2000 suggests that there would be between 5 per cent and 40 per cent less fatalities if by legislation, enforcement, telematics or education, the estimated one in 20 of the driver population that sometimes drives under the influence of alcohol could be convinced or compelled not to drive with a blood alcohol content over 50 milligrammes. That programme includes the reexamination of a proposal for a directive to harmonise blood alcohol limits across the EU at 50 milligrammes.
When the Road Traffic Act, 1994, was passed into law Ireland joined a majority of EU member states in operating an 80 milligramme limit. The priority for us since that has been to enforce that limit and to gain good public support for it rather than to embark on further legislative change. A number of EU countries have since moved down or are planning to move down to the lower 50 milligramme limit. We will monitor and assess the effectiveness of such moves.
The question of driving while under the influence of drugs is also an issue of concern. It is illegal, under the Road Traffic Acts, to drive while under the influence of drugs, whether they be medicinal or illicit. The law is directed at the behaviour of drivers. However, testing methods are not as developed as those for alcohol. I look forward to the outcome of work being done in this area as part of the EU Commission's road safety programme which includes the development of methodologies for roadside checks and consideration of warning labels on medicines.
The success of the Christmas drink driving campaign in this country since the beginning of the 1990s supports the concept of combined multi-agency campaigns, in which education and enforcement are used concurrently, to influence public attitude and behaviour. Those campaigns were strengthened by the legislative changes in 1994 and we can now confidently say that a certain level of social unacceptability of drink driving has been achieved in Ireland.
Nonetheless, more remains to be done. This is further evidenced in the results of analyses carried out by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. In 1997, 62 per cent of the more than 6,500 cases analysed were over twice the legal limit. In the first three months of 1998, 64 per cent of the 1,750 samples analysed were over twice the legal limit. These are frightening statistics and serve to remind us that we still face a huge challenge in changing drink driving behaviour in this country. The road safety agencies must, therefore, continue to encourage and canvass public support against drink driving.
Conscious of this need, the National Safety Council and the Garda Síochána have, since 1996, operated a summer drink driving campaign to remind people that drinking and driving is not just a Christmas phenomenon. The risk exists all year round. The summer campaign will run again this year and will, I hope, further contribute to our efforts to change not just attitudes but behaviour.
Public support is vital to the success of these campaigns. This support needs to be nurtured and encouraged on a continuous basis as we face the challenge of reducing the numbers and effects of road accidents. I welcome the support of business interests for last year's Christmas campaign where some companies undertook promotions and advertising against drink driving. In 1996, the AA launched a drink driving video for young people which was made with the support of the international drinks industry group. We need more of this type of activity to spread the message, to encourage peer support for not drinking and driving and to develop further the social unacceptability of drinking and driving.
Public support will be critical also to the successful implementation of measures in the forthcoming national road safety strategy. While it would be premature to try to detail these measures, one area for action will certainly involve the harnessing of technology to improve enforcement of the law.
As my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, stated recently at the launch of his Department's national alcohol awareness campaign, it is the Government's intention to encourage responsible and safe behaviour in regard to alcohol use. If that means changing behaviour patterns to save lives, we must accept the challenge and face up to the reality of the implications for road safety of alcohol misuse.