Denis Naughten
Ceist:195 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the progress made in implementing the Government's strategy on road safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22784/02]
Written Answers. - Road Safety.
The Government is strongly pursuing the implementation of its Strategy for Road Safety 1998-2002, the first ever national road safety strategy to be adopted by the Government. The strategy has prioritised a systematic and co-ordinated set of measures for preventing and reducing road accidents. It establishes quantified targets for achieving its objectives, the principal of which is to reduce road deaths and serious injuries each by at least 20% by 2002 relative to 1997. Priority is accorded by the strategy to actions targeted at speeding, alcohol, seat belt wearing and vulnerable road users. A timetable for key actions in these and other areas is also set out.
The strategy is monitored by the high level group on road safety, whose first progress report, July 1999, second progress report, August 2000, third progress report, July 2001, and fourth progress report, August 2002, detail progress with key actions. Copies of the first three reports have been circulated to all Deputies and are also available in the Oireachtas Library. Copies of the fourth progress report are being forwarded to all deputies and are also available in the Oireachtas Library.
The fourth progress report shows that real and worthwhile gains are being made in road safety within the framework of the strategy. Between 1997 and 2001 there has been a 13% reduction in road deaths and provisional figures indicate a 43% reduction in serious injuries. The interim targets fixed by the strategy for achievement by 2000 have been well met. Progress is also ahead of target in extending low cost accident measures across the national road network, with 365 schemes completed on the national network by end 2001 with a further 32 approved for 2002.
Garda enforcement activity has been intensified and improved in accordance with the road safety strategy. Over 345,000 on-the-spot fines issued in relation to speeding offences in 2001, compared to 175,000 in 1999 and 130,000 in 1998. A pilot scheme providing for the deployment of fixed speed cameras is in operation on four of the main national routes out of Dublin and on the M50. The question of the use of fixed speed cameras is the subject of a major study commissioned by the NRA. The extension of fixed speed cameras nationwide has not been pursued pending the outcome of the study. Speed limit enforcement is also being supported by an increase in mobile speed detection, the use of laser speed detection as well as in-car and motorcycle cameras. At the end of 2001, approximately 149,000 on the spot fines had been issued for non-wearing of seat belts since the introduction of this measure in July 1999. The number of detections for drink driving in 2001 increased by almost 53% over 1998.
The road safety strategy also provided for the implementation of a penalty points system in support of road safety enforcement. The legislation necessary for this measure was passed by the Oireachtas in March 2002. The necessary software amendments to the national driver file to record penalty points and administer the system, have been made. Penalty points have been introduced in relation to speeding offences since the end of October.
We are approaching the end of the current strategy and an essential prerequisite of the development of the next one is that a detailed review of the results of the current one should be carried out. Accordingly, an international expert in the field of road safety has been engaged to carry out an independent review of the current strategy. The programme for Government states that a three-year road safety strategy will be developed and will target speeding, drink-driving, seat-belt wearing and pedestrian safety in order to reduce deaths and injuries. The European Commission is in the process of developing a third road safety action plan for the EU and is proposing a primary goal of halving the number of road deaths in the EU between 2002 and 2010. The preparation of the next strategy will take account of the review of the current one, the commitment in the programme for Government, and the evolving developments at EU level in relation to the third road safety action plan.