Deputy Keaveney was in possession and she has 19 minutes remaining.
Road Traffic Bill, 2001: Second Stage (Resumed).
Question again proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
There are very few parishes that have not been touched by road deaths and, in many cases, the death of young people has been involved. If this Bill saves lives on our roads, it will be very important. It is geared towards changing the behaviour of road users, improving the safety aspects of vehicles, correcting certain deficiencies in relation to road traffic signage and providing basic infrastructure. It is important that all aspects of safety infrastructure are addressed.
The principal feature of the Bill is the concept of penalty points which has major implications for all road users. I welcome the extended use of speed cameras and the new provisions in relation to breath testing to combat the problem of drink driving. The fact that 33% of road fatalities are drink related is a convincing argument for a very strong clamp down on drink driving. The Bill, in introducing the penalty points system, promotes the same focus as has been used in other countries. As a Deputy for County Donegal, I would ask the Minister to elaborate on how the penalty points system will be co-ordinated with the system already in operation in the six counties of Northern Ireland.
I am aware that if one is disqualified on one side of the Border, the disqualification will be recognised on both sides. However, can the penalty points be acquired in either jurisdiction?
The charge will be increased by 50% if payment of the original amount is not made within 28 days. That is only right and fair. If people have committed the crime, they should pay promptly for it. A commitment was given in the road safety strategy that there will be a review of the present legal requirement for a member of the Garda Síochána to form the opinion that a person has consumed alcohol before a breathalyser is used. I am glad the Bill widens the Garda powers in that regard. A fixed charge is not provided for in relation to careless driving, using a vehicle without insurance and dangerously driving a defective vehicle.
In discussing the issue of driving without insurance it would be remiss not to mention the problem of insurance for young drivers. Of course nobody should drive without insurance. However, last week I heard the case of a young man in my constituency. He is an apprentice and earns about £150 per week. He lives in a rural part of the con stituency and he must have transport to get to his job. There is no public transport in the area so he had to buy a car. He bought a cheap car and was charged £1,200 for his first insurance policy. Unfortunately, he had an accident in the first year and when the insurance came up for renewal he was charged £4,300. The car was worth about £500.
If a person is earning £150 per week and is faced with an insurance bill of £4,300 for the year, one wonders if they will choose the right or wrong thing to do. One can see that the two situations are difficult to reconcile. I am aware that the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, and other Ministers are examining the issue of car insurance. There must be imagination and continued effort to resolve the issue of car insurance for young people. I deliberately used the example of somebody who had had an accident because we mainly hear about the people who never have an accident.
This Bill does not deal with the faultless driver and what carrot they should get. It deals with penalty points. Sometimes it would be nice to have a balance between both. I could talk for 20 minutes solely on the issue of car insurance for young people. It should be kept to the fore when discussing a Bill dealing with road safety. When it is impossible for young people to get any other method of transport and there is no public transport, they need a car. That does not excuse them driving without insurance but the insurance bill I mentioned was £4,300 – I am sure there are other cases of higher and lower amounts – and the person will be in that situation for five years. It will be five years before anybody else will even give them a quote. It is a serious issue which must be addressed.
Section 13 deals with the protection of the environment. There is no NCT testing centre in Inishowen. I was given the impression from the criteria for such centres that Inishowen would have been entitled to one given the fact that most of the population live more than 30 miles from the nearest test centre. This is causing difficulty and could even be called discrimination against part of my constituency. While I am told there is much discussion between councillors, the NCT agency and so forth, we still do not have a testing centre and that is causing problems for my constituents. I hope the Minister of State will be able to address this issue.
The Bill will have huge implications for all road users given that they could be put off the road after accumulating 12 points. It must be directed at those who cause real risk on the road. Some people are drinking and driving and that must be eradicated. Some people drive at wildly excessive speeds which also must be stopped. One hears people boasting that they drive at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour. That should not happen.
We are updating the 1961 legislation. Perhaps on Committee Stage the Minister will address the issue of people driving under the influence of drugs. The gardaí can stop motorists and test them for drink. Is there a way that they can also stop motorists and randomly test them for drugs? What are the difficulties and issues involved? I am anxious to know more about that. Given the changes that have occurred since 1961, the increasing speed of our lifestyles and the long distances involved in commuting to work, it is not easy to describe the reality for the road user.
I drive a colossal number of miles so I see at first hand most of the problems one will encounter in all geographical locations. I have driven through practically all of Ireland. I would like to be a law abiding person when I drive the car. I do my best, although I do not always succeed, to give good example on the road. We have discussed the motorist's responsibilities on the road and one of them is to give good example and to drive safely.
We are talking tonight about responsibility, giving people penalty points and penalising drivers who break the law. However, the debate must go further because there are associated complex and simple issues of rights as well as responsibilities. There is a right to have roads that are safe for driving and free from potholes or frost. There should be a right to have roads that are wide enough for the pedestrians and motorists who use them. We have a right to have roads that are adequately marked for junctions, turns and lay-bys and which make the road safe for other motorists to access and leave it without endangering others.
There is a right to have main roads that are appropriate for driving at a reasonable speed, which should encompass the right to drive at speeds up to the national speed limit. As a motorist, I am most concerned about this issue. We are seeking to deal with people who break the law and drive dangerously and at excessive speeds but the vast majority of people are not in that category. That majority should have the rights I have just outlined.
Pedestrians want the right to walk safely and motorists want the right to expect other road users to be visible. This relates to the use of reflective bands by pedestrians. We tend to go through phases of promoting the use of such bands but it cannot be promoted enough. I drive many country roads and have encountered all sorts of situations. Bicycles and cars should be properly lit. Motorists should not be permitted to use mobile phones when driving. Whatever about using a hands free unit, it is incredible to see motorists holding a mobile to their ear and trying to drive, change gears and turn corners at the same time.
It is important that people adhere to the rules of the road and use basic courtesy on the road, thus enabling other motorists to travel safely to their destinations. However, some of our main roads are extremely narrow. My attention was recently drawn to the stretch of road which links my home town with Derry and Letterkenny. The road was resurfaced and what drew my attention was the continuous white lines which seemed to extend the length of the journey I was making. Under current legislation it is an offence to overtake on such lines. It will also be an offence under this Bill and will result in penalty points. It is only right that there be safety rules where the road is too narrow. However, should the motorist not have a degree of fair play?
The road I am referring to is a recognised scenic route as well as the main road between two urban centres. Should this road serve as a tourist route with the implications that has for speed on the road? Often one is trapped in a queue of traffic because somebody is travelling at 30 miles per hour and cannot be overtaken. Should it be a road that lorries and cars from our northerly location use commercially for regular transit? These lorries serve the fishing industry and are travelling hundreds of miles while I, too, travel hundreds of miles. Can it be both? Have we the right to travel slowly and take in a view while simultaneously offering other road users the right to get from A to B at a reasonable speed and in reasonable time? How much thought goes into road design and the adequacy of the policies of the local authorities or nationally pertaining to the inclusion within road design of lay-bys at regular intervals. I have raised this at county council level this week by way of a motion which was very positively responded to. We do not have national primary or secondary roads so we rely on the county roads as our main access. I would like to hear the Minister's response to the concept of a minimum speed limit on some roads as is the case in other countries. I wonder how this would work in practice given the farming nature of much of our country. I look at the wide sections of road on the N2 from Carrickmacross to Castleblayney. It is a two lane road and invariably when one travels on this stretch of road one will encounter the person driving at 30 or 40 miles per hour in the centre of the road. The tailback grows behind him.
Surely the simple solution here would be to put an extra lane for overtaking which would leave room for pedestrians and a hard shoulder. Practical solutions to real problems will alleviate the situation for people who must travel long distances and do not want to travel at 80 miles per hour. The vast majority of drivers prefer to just get from A to B within the speed limit and in a reasonable time. Often the car that has delayed a queue of traffic for miles will stay in the outer lane even when there is a climbing lane provided ensuring that those who have waited patiently for a location to overtake are further frustrated in their goal of achieving their destination in a reasonable amount of time. This leads to dangerous mistakes and risks being taken out of frustration. The Minister may say people should allow more time for their journey but I am outlining the reality. The reasonable expectation of a journey time is being expanded on a daily basis. The 170 miles from Dublin to Moville in any other European country would take a maximum of three hours. In Ireland it takes four to five and a half hours. I wonder if that is a reasonable expectation of a journey time.
The N2-A5 road is a classic example of where a driver could be in trouble in relation to all 12 points if he wished to complete the journey in less than five and a half hours. This road has not yet been given motorway status under the national development plan. It has a huge volume of traffic and has all the problems that I have outlined – miles and miles of narrow roads with practically no option for overtaking or pulling in. Surely the people of the north-west are entitled to the same right as the people who travel to Galway, Limerick, Cork, Waterford or Belfast? Surely we should be entitled to a road that can safely allow motorists travel and drive up to the national speed limit and not drive at an average of 37 miles per hour for stretches of perhaps 30 miles at a time? I am reiterating my long-standing request to the Cabinet to work with the Northern Executive to present us with a proper safe road that will keep us out of the clutches of the 12 points.
The vast majority of people do not wish to drive recklessly and fast. There is a small percentage of people who need to be stopped but we also need the right to a road that is capable of taking the type of transport about which I am talking.
The new written test will improve knowledge of the rules of the road. Some older drivers are set in their ways and we must remind people about the issue of courtesy on the roads and the rules of the road. I was in Spain last year and I saw a little playground where children could bring their small bicycles or skateboards. It contained roundabouts, traffic lights and all the different items that one would meet on the roads. What a child would not have learned about the rules of the road in that small playground would not have been worth knowing. We should consider developing such playgrounds here. A primary school child could be taught about yield and stop signs and the proper way to negotiate a roundabout.
We should look at the carrot as well as the stick approach. Drivers who respect the rules of the road should be rewarded. All motorists who achieve a number of consecutive years of accident free driving should be given some sort of motor tax credit for a given time such as a year.
It is a serious offence to drive without insurance but at the moment it is so expensive that it is creating a difficulty of its own which needs to be addressed. We need to be sure that when we drive around a corner we will not meet someone who is full of alcohol. I commend the ideals behind this Bill. I hope to hold on to as many points as I can for as long as possible.
I am pleased to speak on this Bill. The year 1998 saw the publication of the "Road to Safety", the first time such a strategy had been produced here and I acknowledge that. That was three years ago. I remember the time well because it followed a period of a high number of deaths on the roads. Many of the incidents were particularly horrifying. After a spate of dreadful road accidents that culminated in the deaths of two children and three adults in a head-on collision in County Wicklow, there was a huge public outcry and we were spurred into action. We were assured that the road safety strategy which had been announced two months previously would be implemented in all its elements as quickly as possible. Today three years later we are now just discussing the legislation which will introduce the most valuable element of that strategy – the implementation of the proposed penalty points system.
The delay in this implementation is inexcusable. It is obvious to all of us that we will not see the introduction of the penalty points system by this time next year. The necessary infrastructure for its implementation will not be in place. The difficulties in setting up a register of drivers could take many years to sort out. There are Constitutional and legal complexities involved in establishing this register. The law in force at present means that the Garda cannot use a person's PRSI number to identify him or her for prosecution purposes or to establish a database. The establishment of the database of drivers and the introduction of the technology to allow the automatic issuing of fines and endorsements will take years to establish. After three years of delay and with the legislation before the House now we need to solve the problem of fatal road accidents.
In 1997 or 1998 I was one of those calling for an immediate introduction of the penalty points system. We had an annual total of road deaths of 470 people and that had been increasing since 1993. It was quite frightening when we compared our statistics with other EU countries. The UK has a far lower accident rate. We were comparable to places like Spain and Portugal. I know that the figures have decreased slightly this year, but not enough. This month we have again seen a number of horrific accidents. Each weekend brings its own tragic story. It appears that we will reach a figure of 400 road deaths this year. It is a tragic story, one of which none of us can be proud and we should not forget all those who are injured or permanently maimed in accidents. They exist and the heartache that is visited on them and their families is ongoing.
I was struck by a statement made by the Chairman of the National Safety Council, Mr. Eddie Shaw, when launching the organisation's annual report last year. He said that 1,000 of the 62,000 young people who sat the leaving certificate will have been killed in road crashes by the year 2008, and 4,000 more will have suffered serious injuries. He has been critical of the Government's inaction in the delay in implementing the road strategy.
If this programme had been implemented we would have saved up to 200 lives and prevented many more injuries over the period of delay. Is this due to a lack of financial resources or has a lack of political will slowed up the introduction of the strategy?
I believe a penalty points system works very well as seen in the case of Northern Ireland. I lived in the UK for a number of years and I have personal experience of the system there. After one or two speeding offences, one becomes acutely aware of the consequences of additional points. A total of 12 points results in an automatic endorsement on one's licence. It is a deterrent that should prove to be very effective. Fines are too easy to pay – even an on the spot fine of £50 – and one quickly forgets the incident. The consequences of an endorsement are much more serious. Being without a licence can have consequences for employment and other areas – most people are now very reliant on their cars as a means of transport – and it will also have an effect on insurance premiums.
It is necessary to ensure that the system is put in place if we are to reduce speed and save lives. Speed is one of the major killers on the roads today. It is incongruous that we see an array of car advertisements emphasising performance and a car's ability to get from nought to 60 in so many seconds. What is the point of all this when we have speed limits? Being a woman I do not see the attraction of speed or powerful cars. I use my car to get from A to B at a reasonable speed and I fail to see the value of something which one cannot legitimately find an opportunity to use. That is the market and the world we live in and we have to deal with it.
Section 13 of the Bill empowers the Minister to make regulations relating to a range of road traffic matters which includes the maximum speed limits. I wait with interest to see how that can be implemented. As we import all of our vehicles I am not sure how this can be implemented but it must be possible.
Speed is the biggest factor in road accidents and road deaths. It is estimated that over 40% of fatal accidents are caused by excessive or inappropriate speed. Speed reduces control of the car and the driver cannot negotiate bends in the road with the same degree of care that can be achieved at a lower speed. It takes longer to stop a car going at excessive speed and the faster the car moves the less time the driver has to react. Many situations are beyond the control of the driver, such as obstructions, pedestrians and the reckless behaviour of other drivers.
A car travelling at 60 miles per hour on a wet road will take 140 yards to come to a halt and this obviously increases with higher speeds. We are all aware of it but need to be reminded that the faster one goes the harder it is to stop and the less control one has over a car. The higher the speed the greater the consequences should there be an accident. A pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 35 miles per hour is more likely to be killed than if they were hit by a car travelling at 30 miles per hour. A small increment in speed can result in the death of a pedestrian.
Many young men die on our roads and it is a sad fact that the majority of road deaths are of young men. The profile of a driver most likely to be killed or injured on the roads is a male in the age group 17-25 who has been a licence holder for less than two years. Young men in this category are involved in over half of all road accidents.
I welcome the introduction of the driving theory test. It is a good measure. My colleague, Deputy Naughten, put together an excellent document in which he proposed to facilitate young drivers with insurance. High insurance premiums discriminate against young people. I questioned the Enterprise, Trade and Employment recently on the forthcoming report on the insurance industry which is examining the high rates of premia for young drivers. We are told this is due to their high accident rate, and I do not doubt that, but we need more transparency on those figures to try to ascertain if that group is bearing an unfair burden. Car ownership has become almost essential today and it is very hard to get around without a car in the absence of adequate public transport. It is therefore essential for young people to have a car, particularly when they get a job.
Macra na Feirme and other youth groups have produced very valuable proposals in this area to facilitate discussion with the insurance companies to bring down the currently high rates of insurance premia. Some insurance companies have moved in this area and are focusing on driving tests to ensure that young drivers who have a higher degree of competency will accordingly have their insurance reduced.
There are 400,000 provisional licence holders and there is no prohibition on those who have not passed their tests from returning to the road. Provisional licence holders drive unaccompanied all the time. They have to wait so long to be called for a test that they ignore the law. Everybody turns a blind eye. We know this is happening but the law is not being observed.
Seat belts are extremely important and we have a lax attitude towards them. Three out of four people will be killed or seriously injured in a 30 miles per hour head on crash if they do not wear their seat belts. Seat belts save lives and everybody is legally obliged to wear one, including back seat passengers. I compliment the National Safety Council which is currently running an effective television advertisement road safety campaign. The advertisements send shivers through one's spine as they graphically portray car accidents and the injuries caused to those who do not wear seat belts. We should all take stock of these advertisements, especially given that wearing of rear seat belts is not observed in Ireland. Very young people should be restrained. Today I saw a baby on the lap of an adult in the front of a car. It was frightening because a minor impact could have sent the baby through the windscreen. Vigilance in regard to the wearing of seat belts is essential.
School bus safety is also important. Throughout the country school children travel on old buses three to a seat to swimming classes, football matches and on their school tours. This is highly dangerous because they are unrestrained. This issue has been debated previously and we have been told this is down to economics. If only one life is saved, that argument does not stand up. A new fleet of buses should be provided. There are difficulties in doing this but the issue can be addressed.
Cycling is a wonderful mode of travel, but many cyclists do not wear helmets and are not aware of the rules of the road. In built-up areas in particular, one encounters cyclists who do not understand signals or the layout of junctions, yet they are let loose on our roads without having undertaken a test in the basic skills of cycling. I feel strongly about this and we should ensure that cyclists know the rules of the road and how a car operates so that they are aware of blind spots for drivers. We all know how things can go horribly wrong if someone is not aware of a driver blind spot for instance.
As to the effects of alcohol and drugs on ability to drive, I am not sure about the details of drug testing but it is important that it should be introduced. It must be recognised that a person's senses are dulled by drugs and he or she is not in full control of his or her body as a result.
I live in an urban area and, like other local authority members, receive constant requests from householders and residents' associations for the introduction of traffic calming measures on roads that have become rat runs for traffic. Can reduced speed limits be applied to such areas to make drivers slow down and realise they are entering built up areas where young children and pedestrians are on the streets? Such a policy has been adopted in the UK and the police were willing to accept it provided ramps were used. It would be worthwhile. Many of the queries I receive from my constituents relate to traffic calming and the local authority does not have the resources to implement such measures everywhere. Reduced speed limits in built up areas should be considered. They are applied in industrial estates and I do not see why they cannot be introduced in areas where local authorities believe they would be worthwhile.
I am glad to have had the opportunity to contribute. Road safety is a major concern for all of us. I am particularly conscious that so many young men lose their lives unnecessarily. We should all remember, as we debate this legislation, the young people who have been horribly injured in accidents and who must carry that burden for the rest of their lives. I welcome the introduction of a penalty points system at long last, which will help to reduce speed on our roads.
I wish to share time with Deputy Killeen.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I am glad to have an opportunity to make a brief contribution on this legislation, which is very necessary. I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy Molloy, on bringing it forward. He outlined in his opening contribution that the Bill enhances the code of law that was originally promulgated in 1961. There have been major changes in Ireland since and our distinguished Ceann Comhairle is the only Member who served in the House at that time. The structure of our society and our roads infrastructure have changed dramatically. The number of vehicles parked in housing estates in both urban and rural areas is a major problem as many households run three or four cars.
I am glad the Minister for the Environment and Local Government is confident an agreement will be reached between the Irish Farmers Association and the National Roads Authority in regard to progressing the national development plan and, in particular, the development of the national primary road network. I hope the necessary preparatory work in design and planning will commence as quickly as possible and farmers will provide access to farm land to officials to carry out this necessary work.
There are three categories of driver in Northern Ireland – learner, registered and fully licensed. The registered category should be introduced in the Republic. I have travelled extensively in the North and registered drivers take more care and pay more attention to their driving. An individual requires registered status following a driving test, having spent time as a learner driver. This predominantly concerns young people and it is necessary for them to gain experience and to adopt good habits in terms of good practice on roads. Many drivers in the registered category in the North, unfortunately, do not maintain due care and attention when they travel on roads south of the Border. I hope the Minister will consider introducing a new category of registered driver.
Deputy Keaveney quite rightly alluded to the exorbitant cost of motor insurance. It is time decisions were made to substantially reduce the significant burden of insurance, particularly on young people. The legal and medical aspects of insurance awards should be addressed and those costs should be reduced substantially.
A number of people have raised the question of a reserve Garda force with me. People may say there are sufficient civil and public servants but those who spoke to me had in mind the opportunity that exists to employ retired Garda personnel or retired Permanent Defence Forces personnel to police traffic. All of us know the frustrations that arise from delays when travelling on the main national roadways and the minor routes. Traffic could be policed not necessarily by the Garda Síochána but by a reserve Garda force, particularly in view of the need to control traffic through built-up areas and urban centres. Deputies Keaveney and Clune spoke about the need to be able to assess drivers whom a garda believes is under the influence of drugs. That is a necessary move, particularly at a time when there is widespread abuse of different drug substances.
Another aspect which is often brought to our attention is the erratic driving by motorcyclists, particularly those travelling on heavy motorcycles and in convoys at high speed. These people frighten drivers of other motor vehicles. I hope more strong and stern action will be taken to deal with these people who are a danger to themselves and to other road users.
I am pleased the Road Traffic Bill which is being introduced in this House adds to the general corpus of legislation in relation to the Road Traffic Acts. The Minister mentioned specifically that he intends introducing regulations on the control of driving instruction, which I welcome. It is absolutely essential that before people acquire a full driver's licence, or learner drivers, should have to take lessons. There is a pilot scheme in my county where a voluntary group has established a driving academy, working in partnership with the County Partnership Board. This gives young people, particularly those who come from households with limited income, the opportunity to avail of driving lessons. That group has targeted youths who may be at risk of becoming involved in less desirable activities. It gives them an opportunity to acquire motor skills and driving licences.
I welcome the introduction of the penalty points system. In reading through the Minister's script, I was surprised the system is not operational in more countries. I hope it will have the desired effect here. The Minister is confident it has been successful in the countries in which it has been adopted.
Fortunately, there has been a reduction in deaths and injuries on the roads in recent years but, unfortunately, any road death or injury is one statistic too many. I would not have thought there was a reduction in the level of deaths and injuries in recent years. Every week-end morning, including too many week day mornings, we hear the grim news of another fatality in some county, or the fatality of someone we may know well ourselves. I hope the rigorous enforcement of this legislation, together with the subsequent regulations, will ensure the roads are safer for all our people.
I welcome the Road Traffic Bill, 2001 as an important addition to the legislative basis for the safe use of the nation's road network. That legislative basis seeks to control the behaviour of road users to deal with the safety of vehicles and to provide for traffic signs and safety-related infrastructure. We expect penalties and driver disqualification orders to promote compliance. As the Minister said, the existing code is based mainly on the Road Traffic Act, 1961. However, this legislation derives principally from the Government's five year national strategy for road safety, which underpins legislation and policy in this area and, it is fair to acknowledge, has been quite successful.
Since 1994, we have had a pretty comprehensive code in relation to drink driving and, perhaps more importantly, we have reached a stage where drink driving is far less acceptable among one's peers that might have been the case a few years ago. We speak much more about drink driving and less about drunken driving, which is an important distinction. However, as a number of speakers said, more and more people are suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. There does not appear to be an adequate testing system, if any, for people driving in that condition. The evidence which is available strongly suggests that it is equally as dangerous, if not even more dangerous, than driving under the influence of drink.
Another aspect of the control of traffic by way of legislation is the use of speed limit controls. These controls are frequently criticised, mainly because the 60 mile per hour speed limit, which is the universal one outside of built-up areas and motorways, for some roads is perhaps too low and for a great many others, particularly county roads and some regional roads, is far too high. That is an area which brings the law into disrepute because anyone with common sense would say it may well be quite safe to drive at 70 or 75 miles per hour on a dual carriageway, where the 60 mile an hour speed limit obtains, while exactly the same speed limit obtains on minor county roads which join it. Likewise, people are very critical of the 70 mile per hour speed limit on motorways. There is some scope for increasing that. The rationale for doing that would be to shorten the length of journeys because, ultimately, one of the huge contributors to excessive speeding is the fact that people must spend so much time in their cars travelling relatively modest distances.
Deputy Keaveney referred to the time it takes to travel between Donegal and Dublin. The same applies to anywhere in the west. It is not unusual to have the experience I and several other Deputies had last Friday of leaving here at 3 p.m. or 3.30 p.m. and not reaching one's county boundary until 9.30 p.m. That is a huge amount of time to spend driving. Apart from the frustration of spending so long behind the wheel, there is the additional burden of tiredness which is bound to affect drivers.
While one frequently hears criticisms of the Garda for not sufficiently enforcing traffic law, the Minister quoted statistics which I thought were quite startling in regard to the enforcement of the law in 2000. There were 224,000 fines for on-the-spot speeding; I presume some of them were caught on camera but a huge majority were caught by the gardaí; 59,000 offences of non-wearing of seat belts seems an absolutely huge number. I thought we were long past the point where people realised the importance of wearing seat belts and where almost everyone has a reflex reaction on sitting into a car, particularly drivers, of automatically putting on the seat belt or instructing passengers to do likewise. There were 104,000 drink driving offences brought before the courts, which is a horrendously high number. This gives the lie to my earlier contention that considerable progress is being made in this regard.
The Bill provides for the introduction of new deterrents and a substantial review upwards of the financial penalties. It also provides for something which has been talked about for a very long time, that is, the penalty points system for relatively minor traffic offences. I am pleased the Bill provides that these tot up to quite large points penalties if one goes to court in relation to the offence because far too much court time has been taken up with road traffic offences over a number of years. It is important that as far as possible administration of this area is moved out of the courts. I realise there have been difficulties in this regard because of legal and constitutional considerations.
I agree with the advocacy of the carrot and stick policy proposed by a number of speakers. There is a great deal of merit in the carrot and stick approach in the case of car insurance costs for young people. It is wrong to penalise people who have no offences or crashes registered against them. That is something that should be very carefully looked at. By whatever means, young people who avoid incurring penalty points and accidents should have insurance provided to them at a reasonable cost.
One of the difficulties encountered by people trying to promote better driving and road safety is that people do not seem to believe the statistics. They may believe the numbers of those killed and injured because the proof is there, but they do not appear to believe the causes of the accidents. Until people believe that speeding, drink driving and the other matters dealt with in this legislation are the factors which cause deaths and injuries, it will be difficult to make progress. Enforcement alone is not enough to change behaviour. I agree with Deputy Brendan Smith that there is a considerable waste of Garda manpower and time.
Debate adjourned.