I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 86 and 485 together.
I would like, at the outset, to extend my sympathy to the family of the person killed and to those who were injured during the incident on 27 March. Indeed, all victims of road traffic accidents and their families have our sympathy.
Unfortunately, driver behaviour, particularly in relation to inappropriate speeds in foggy conditions, has been suggested as one of the main contributors to the particular events of 27th March.
Drivers must take responsibility for their own behaviour on our roads. Notwithstanding any maximum speed limit that may be in force on any particular public road, the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997 provide a general obligation on drivers to ensure that a vehicle is not driven at a speed exceeding that which will enable a driver to bring it to a halt within the distance which the driver can see to be clear. This includes the requirement that drivers should also maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them so as that they can pull up safely if the vehicle in front slows down or stops suddenly.
The majority of offences committed on our roads relate primarily to the behaviour of drivers. Hence, the focus of the national Road Safety Strategy (2004-2006), which has just come to an end, was on changing attitudes and behaviour on our roads through a range of measures.
Significant initiatives identified in the Strategy that have been realised to date include the introduction of a new system of metric speed limits, the further extension of the operation of the penalty points and fixed charge systems from April 2006, the establishment of the Road Safety Authority and the Garda Traffic Corps. The Corps provides the basis for the achievement of the significant gains in road safety that emanate from consistent high levels of traffic law enforcement.
Other major proposals identified, such as the plans to establish a system of private sector operation of speed cameras under the auspices of the Gardaí, are well advanced by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Meanwhile the NRA is actively considering the deployment of ITS technology, including variable message signage, on the national roads network with a view to rolling it out on a phased basis.
The Road Traffic Act 2006 enacted a number of key measures. These include the provision to combat drink driving through enabling roadside Mandatory Alcohol Testing (MAT) and a ban on the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving. Since the commencement of the Act 30,000 MAT checkpoints are carried out monthly by the Gardaí and the number of road deaths and collisions have fallen significantly. Last year the number of road deaths was 368 – the second lowest rate in forty years. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is currently working on developing a new road safety strategy for the period 2007-2011.