Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 January 2012
18 Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which the number of road fatalities in 2011 on a county basis will be available; and his priorities to further reduce the national number of fatalities in 2012. [1403/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's question relates to road fatality statistics, the record in 2011 and future initiatives.
Provisional figures show that there were 185 road fatalities on Irish roads in 2011. This is a reduction of 27 on 2010 and is the lowest annual figure since records began. Detailed analysis of the statistics, including on a county basis, will be carried out by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and will be published in their Road Collision Facts 2011 report later in the year.
However, provisional figures have been provided which breaks the road fatalities down by Garda Division. I will provide this directly to the Deputy, but he may be interested to note that in respect of the Carlow/Kilkenny Garda Division the number of fatalities reduced from 11 in 2010 to 9 last year.
The steady reduction in fatalities over the last number of years has been brought about through a number of factors, including legislation, initiatives by organisations such as the Road Safety Authority and the Garda Síochána, better roads and improved vehicle standards and by changes in driver behaviour. Since the Road Safety Strategy 2007 to 2012, with its many actions for addressing road safety issues, was introduced in 2007 road deaths have dropped by 50%. I have asked the RSA to draft a successor Strategy from 2013 and work has already begun on this.
The Government has made road safety a key priority. New drink driving levels and other significant road safety measures were rolled out last year. Additional measures will be launched in the years ahead, including the new plastic drivers' licence, enhanced commercial vehicle roadworthiness testing, the publication of legislation to provide for impairment testing of drug drivers at the roadside and the introduction of new penalty points offences.
