asked the Minister for the Environment if he will now hold a public inquiry into the large number of road traffic accidents, many of which had fatal consequences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Traffic Accidents.
9.
I do not consider that the holding of an inquiry on the lines indicated by the Deputy would be necessary or appropriate. The incidence of road accidents is continuously monitored and reviewed by the Garda who investigate accidents on the spot and by the road authorities, who are concerned with road accidents. Details of the number of road deaths and injuries together with an analysis of the contributory factors involved are published on an annual basis by An Foras Forbartha. Specific research is also undertaken from time to time by An Foras and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety into particular factors which can contribute to death and injury on the roads.
All of these activities provide the basis for the formulation and implementation of traffic accident counter measures in respect of such matters as road planning and construction, the management of traffic, legislation and regulations and the promotion of road safety generally.
As the Deputy is aware, the importance of good road conditions is reflected in the objectives of the Road Development Plan, which include the elimination of accident black spots and the provision of adequate signs and markings. Regulations have been made providing for the introduction of a scheme of compulsory testing of heavy goods vehicles, buses, ambulances and taxis. In the interest of better driving standards a new driver licensing category, Class H, with appropriate test, has been introduced for articulated vehicles. I am also at present considering the views of interested parties on a proposed scheme of voluntary registration of persons giving driving instruction. I shall, further, be introducing in the near future a Bill in relation to the problem of drink and driving intended to strengthen the measures provided for dealing with this major menace on our roads. The work of the National Road Safety Association and the research activities of An Foras Forbartha will continue to receive support from my Department.
In the final analysis, however, road safety is a matter for the individual. Research has shown that the human factor contributes in nine out of every ten accidents. Legislation, engineering and enforcement measures must be accompanied by a positive response from road users themselves. Otherwise factors such as excessive speed, drinking and driving, the failure of drivers and passengers to wear safety belts, careless crossing of roads by pedestrians and their failure to make themselves more visible on the roads at night, which account for the major proportion of deaths and injuries on our roads, will continue to be reflected in our accident rates.
I am grateful to the Minister for that comprehensive reply and while I have no desire to under-rate the part being played in the area of road safety by the various agencies referred to by the Minister — they have been doing an excellent job — why, when so many people are being killed and injured on our roads, can the Minister not see his way to holding an inquiry, even of a limited nature, as to why we continue to behave like this on our roads?
I am not convinced that an inquiry would add anything to the volume of information available on road deaths, but I share totally the Deputy's concern in this regard. The carnage on our roads during the past ten years, which has resulted in more than 5,000 people dead, reflects on our individual regard for other road users. The number of people who drive with an excessive intake of alcohol is an absolute disgrace. Of the total number of convictions for drunken driving in 1980 more than 40 per cent of those convicted were shown to have had levels of alcohol that were twice the permitted levels. We do not need an inquiry to provide us with such statistics. Another factor is the number of defective vehicles on our roads. The quality of our roads, too, is not good enough, though I am not blaming anybody in particular for this situation. For generations we have neglected to make the capital investment in our roads that might help to eliminate dangerous driving though the standards of the roads are no excuse for such behaviour. In the last analysis if the individual in charge of a mechanically propelled and at times lethal weapon is not prepared to concern himself about the lives and safety of other road users, these figures will continue to come before us.
I appreciate the Minister's concern. While I do not hold strong feelings about an inquiry into this whole area, it seems that information in regard to accidents and so on is rather disparate.
Has the Deputy a question?
Yes. Is there any way of centralising the information instead of having these various bodies dealing with it?
I am not sure that an inquiry would alter that situation. I am prepared to do anything possible to reduce the number of road accidents but I am not convinced that holding an inquiry is the best way to deal with the problem. So far as I know most of the agencies concerned report either directly to my Department or to another body but all the information in regard to injuries and deaths on the roads is available in the Department.
I will pursue this matter again.
I agree with most of what the Minister has said but there is one aspect of this whole problem which might justify an inquiry. Would the Minister agree that most of the carnage is taking place on new roads, the main arterial roads, on which every other day we see wrecked cars and people either dead or badly injured? If this is the case it is not the lack of investment in roads but the investment we have made in them that has caused most of the damage.
I do not have any statistics in that regard but I shall have the question examined with a view to ascertaining whether there is any substance in what the Deputy is saying.
I am delighted to hear the Minister speak in such strong terms on this matter. In view of his sincerity and of his conviction that something should be done about the problem would he not consider forming a traffic corps having regard to the extent to which the Garda are overstretched in regard to law enforcement in the area of serious criminal offences and so on and also because of extra security duties in Border areas?
I am talking in terms of traffic corps such as those in Sweden or Denmark where such groups of people have limited powers to deal with traffic offences such as speeding, parking, dangerous driving and so forth. Will the Minister consider seriously the formation of such a group? Again I would like to congratulate him on the manner in which he has dealt with this very serious question.
Certainly I will look at this and I will be willing to consider anything that will bring down the number of injuries and deaths on our roads. However, I want to be convinced that it is not merely something cosmetic and that it will really be effective. I will talk to the Garda, the Road Safety Bureau and any other body who might have a view on this to find out if there is any point in pursuing that idea. A number of things could be done.
Could I ask the Minister at some stage to report back to the House?
Yes, I will be glad to do so. I will contact the Deputy directly or maybe report to the House on my own Estimate or something like that. I repeat that in the end we all have a responsibility in this, not only the Minister and the Government. All of us as parents primarily must teach our children when they are going to drive that what they have in their hands is as dangerous and as lethal as a gun. There is no point in saying that they were only doing 80 in a 60-mile zone. If they kill somebody, that will live with them for the rest of their lives, leaving aside altogether the fact that perhaps a man is dead and his widow and children left without a breadwinner. The responsibility of driving a car is something that we all have a constant duty as parents, teachers and legislators to bring to the mind of the public continuously and we must tell them that they are handling something as lethal as a gun and which should be handled just as carefully.
I have placed for the attention of my Chief Whip a motion for Private Members' Business in connection with the possibility of bringing about what the Minister is seeking, namely to introduce into our schools a programme to educate our young people in the terms the Minister has expressed.
That would be very helpful if it were debated in this House. We had a number of contributions backing up the point here previously from Deputy Andrews, Deputy Killilea and myself.