John Curran
Question:604. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an analysis as to the causes in road fatalities in 2016 has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3112/17]
View answerTuesday, 24 January 2017
Questions (604)
Written answers
The main causes of road deaths in Ireland are considered to be alcohol, excessive speed, distracted driving and failure to wear seat belts.
A provisional review of the road fatal collisions in 2016 was carried out by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) based on a statistical analysis of such fatalities across a range of variables and causes. It shows for example that of the 2016 fatal collisions, 18% of drivers and 32% of passengers were confirmed as not wearing a seat belt, while 41% of drivers and 34% of passengers were confirmed as wearing a seatbelt, with the remainder not known at this time.
Detailed reports by the RSA on Fatal Collisions, which were published last year, indicates excessive speed was a contributory factor in 32% of fatal collisions and alcohol in 38% of collisions for which files were available for analysis by the RSA for the period 2008 - 2012.
While 2015 (together with 2012) had the joint lowest number of road deaths at 162 persons since records began in Ireland there was an increase in 2016 to 187. I am determined that we will reverse this trend in road deaths we saw last year. I held a Special meeting of the Ministerial Committee on road safety earlier this month, and I very much welcome the assurance by An Garda Síochána at that meeting that there will be an increase of 10% in the traffic corps during the course of 2017 with more check points and greater enforcement of traffic law and that road safety enforcement is a priority in the 2017 Garda Policing Plan.