Seán Crowe
Question:87 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport when he expects to have introduced the long-promised road safety measures. [32127/04]
View answerTuesday, 7 December 2004
Questions (67, 68)
Pat Rabbitte
Question:91 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons killed and injured in road traffic accidents to date in 2004; the way in which this compares with 2003; the steps he intends to take to cut road fatalities and injuries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32365/04]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 91 together.
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 2002 and that report, along with reports relating to previous years, is available in the Oireachtas Library.
Provisional figures for the number of road deaths to the end of November 2004 show that there were 344 fatalities compared with 315 — an increase of 29 — for the same period last year. Last year saw the lowest number of road deaths in 40 years with 336 deaths. Unfortunately, we have now surpassed the number of road users killed in 2003 and there are still another four weeks before year end.
The number of injuries resulting from road traffic collisions in 2003 have not yet been fully analysed and authenticated and will be available when the road accident facts 2003 is published. Over the lifetime of the first road safety strategy 1998 — 2002, the number of injuries decreased considerably with the 20% reduction target significantly surpassed by the end of 2002. It is worth noting that, despite the increase in road deaths this year compared to last year, the number of road deaths in the first 11 months of this year is the second lowest figure since 1998, which was the first full year of the first road safety strategy.
The Government strongly pursued the implementation of its first strategy for road safety 1998 — 2002. The strategy prioritised a systematic and co-ordinated set of measures for preventing and reducing road accidents. The road safety strategy also provided for the implementation of a penalty points system in support of road safety enforcement. Penalty points have been introduced for speeding offences since the end of October 2002 and have since been introduced for not wearing a seat, driving without insurance and careless driving.
By the end of the period of the first strategy almost all of the measures set out were either fully or partially implemented. During the intervening period between the completion of the first strategy and the introduction of the new strategy, my Department and all the agencies concerned with the implementation of road safety measures ensured that the successful measures brought forward under the road to safety continued to be implemented.
The primary target of the new Government strategy on road safety is to realise a 25% reduction in road collision fatalities by the end of 2006 over the average annual number of fatalities in the 1998 to 2003 period. Achievement of the target will result in no more than 300 deaths per annum by the end of the period of the strategy and will assist in the achievement of the longer term EU target of a 50% reduction in road deaths across the EU by 2010.
To support the development of the new strategy, a major independent review of the previous strategy was carried out by an international expert on road safety. His report, which has been used to inform the development of the new road safety strategy, confirms that basing the primary targets on the achievement of progress in the areas of speeding, drink-driving and seat belt wearing, was the correct approach. For that reason, these remain the key areas of the new strategy. It proposes a range of measures in the enforcement, engineering, education and legislation areas to target further reductions in deaths and injuries. An integrated strategic approach will ensure that the road safety agencies work together to achieve the targets set out in the new strategy.
In addition, initiatives will be pursued that will progress measures identified in the previous strategy in respect of which full implementation was not realised. This is particularly the case in respect of the achievement of the roll out of the penalty points system and the supporting fixed charge system. That will be facilitated by the early passage of the Road Traffic Bill 2004, which is due to be debated further in the House today.