Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2017
624. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to develop a vision zero policy toward road traffic fatalities and serious injuries and to meet the target reductions in these casualties proposed by 2020 at the recent World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53908/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAfter the joint safest year on record, 2015, when 162 deaths were recorded, there was a sharp rise in road fatalities last year. I tasked all stakeholders to make every effort to reverse this trend during 2017 including through increased frequency of meetings of the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety to once every second months instead of twice yearly. Thankfully, as a result of the increased efforts by all, road deaths have decreased this year, and 2017 may be our lowest year for road deaths ever.
The Road Safety Strategy 2013 to 2020 identifies 144 actions which are designed to make our roads safer for all users, with a target of no more than 124 deaths on our roads by 2020. I have recently approved the mid-term review of the Road Safety Strategy, which included bringing together all of the major stakeholders, including the Road Safety Authority, my Department, an Garda Síochána, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, the Health and Safety Authority and others, to ensure that all actions were still relevant and fit for purpose, and to identify any new priorities which may have arisen since 2013. Flowing from that review I am committed to enhancing interventions to address the main killer behaviours on our roads, with stricter penalties for non-compliance and targeted visible enforcement.
In that context, I am delighted by the announcement that the number of Gardaí assigned to roads policing will increase by 10% to the end of 2017, and a further 10% next year. I believe that robust enforcement of the road traffic laws is key to reducing road deaths.
However, every death is one too many, and we must continue our efforts to reduce the number of people killed on our roads. Regrettably, the four main causes of road deaths remain speeding, drink driving, using a mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt, so all road users must take personal responsibility for our behaviour in order to make the road safer for all users.
