The rising trend in road accident numbers and fatalities is a matter of grave concern to me and to all the Departments and agencies involved in road safety.
The disimprovement which began in the summer of 1995, when accident numbers shot up in comparison with previous years, has continued throughout 1996 and 1997. This trend must be viewed against the backdrop of a significant increase in kilometres travelled and in the number of registered vehicles on our roads. That offers no consolation to those involved in road traffic accidents and their families and friends. Every accident is one too many.
For that reason I have endeavoured to step up road safety measures on an ongoing basis and have reported on individual initiatives to the House in recent months. The Road Safety Together strategy, introduced last year, is focused on all the critical areas — engineering, enforcement, education and encouragement — and is directed at all the responsible agencies and all road users who must work together to seek new ways to tackle the problem. Specific initiatives I have taken in recent months include the introduction of on-the-spot fines for speeding offences, the publication of a traffic signs manual, the issue of a new guide to road safety engineering and the development of a road safety initiative at county level. I have also provided support for the establishment of a driver instructor register.
The wide range of road safety measures being implemented on a continuous year round basis aims at making our roads safer for all road users. Enforcement is a critical element of any strategy. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, has assured the House the Garda authorities are committed to a rigorous enforcement of the road traffic Acts throughout the year. I welcome the proposal of the Garda Commissioner to set up, at an early date, a national traffic policy bureau for traffic policing on a national basis to ensure a coordinated and policy driven approach by all gardaí to the enforcement of traffic law.