asked the Minister for the Environment if figures are available indicating how our rate of motor accidents resulting in (a) death and (b) injuries, compares percentage wise with other member countries of the EEC; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Motor Accidents.
543.
In general, valid comparisons between road accident rates in different countries are difficult to make because of differences in the stages of development in motorisation, the degree of urbanisation, density of population and the ratio of road mileage to population. Furthermore, it is not possible to make a meaningful comparison of road accident injury rates in different countries because of the considerable variations which exist in the level of reporting of injury accidents.
Subject to these limitations, road accident rates are probably best compared internationally by reference to the number of deaths per 100 million vehicle kilometres and deaths per 10,000 population. A comparison of road accident fatality rates in EEC countries in 1981 (the latest year for which comparative figures are available) as supplied by An Foras Forbartha, is set out in the Table below.
|
Number of Road Deaths 1981 |
Deaths per 10 8 Vehicle Kilometres |
Deaths per 10 4 population |
|
|
Ireland |
572 |
2.8 |
1.66 |
|
Northern Ireland |
223 |
n.a. |
1.40 |
|
Belgium |
2,216 |
4.7 |
2.24 |
|
Greece |
1,542 |
7.5* |
1.59 |
|
Denmark |
662 |
2.6 |
1.27 |
|
France |
12,428¹ |
4.4 |
2.30 |
|
Britain |
5,900 |
2.0 |
1.06 |
|
Italy |
8,600 |
3.3* |
1.48 |
|
Luxembourg |
75 |
n.a. |
2.04 |
|
Netherlands |
1,807 |
3.5* |
1.26 |
|
West Germany |
11,626 |
3.6 |
1.88 |
n.a. Not Available.
*Years earlier than 1981.
¹Deaths occurring within 6 days of the accident. Other figures are based on deaths within 30 days.