Vol. 546 No. 1
37 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the percentage of road traffic accidents where inexperience or bad driving habits are understood to be contributory factors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31098/01]
125 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the percentage of road accidents over the past 12 months in which a provisional licence holder was involved; if he will give a breakdown for all serious and fatal accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26562/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 125 together.
Comprehensive statistical analysis of road accidents is provided by the National Roads Authority in its annual road accident facts reports, which are available in the Oireachtas Library. The NRA 2000 report carries a Garda estimate that at least 42% of the 362 fatal accidents which occurred in that year involved contributory action on the part of a driver. Reports relating to previous years indicate a broadly similar pattern.
NRA road accident facts reports do not include information regarding the licence status of drivers involved in road accidents. However, a special NRA report entitled, Young Driver Accidents 1997, published in May 2000, is available in the Oireachtas Library. It includes limited details on the licence status of young drivers involved in road accidents where this information was available to the Garda. Within the constraints of this available information, which covered only 52% of young drivers involved in accidents, the report found that 38% of young car drivers and 65% of young motorcycle drivers injured in accidents, held provisional licences. This limited analysis relates only to drivers between the ages of 17 and 24 and not to provisional licence holders generally.
