Catherine Murphy
Ceist:
494. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic collisions each year from 2016 to 2021 in which the driver was injured in the crash; the number of injured surviving drivers that were involved by year; the number of injured drivers that were taken to hospital; the number of these drivers that were not tested for alcohol in hospital by year; the reason that these drivers were not tested for alcohol in hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61847/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra
I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once it is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 494 of 13 December 2022 where you asked for: “the number of fatal road traffic collisions each year from 2016 to 2021 in which the driver was injured in the crash; the number of injured surviving drivers that were involved by year; the number of injured drivers that were taken to hospital; the number of these drivers that were not tested for alcohol in hospital by year; the reason that these drivers were not tested for alcohol in hospital. ”
As you will recall, the information you requested was not available at the time, and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
The Garda authorities have provided me the below tables:
Yearly breakdown of the number of fatal road traffic collisions from 2016 to 2021:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
172
|
140
|
130
|
130
|
136
|
124
|
Yearly breakdown of the number of fatal road traffic collisions from 2016 to 2021 in which a driver or motorcyclist suffered a serious or minor injury:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
58
|
33
|
37
|
33
|
33
|
32
|
Yearly breakdown of the number of drivers or motorcyclists that suffered a serious or minor injury in a fatal road traffic collision from 2016 to 2021
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
70
|
41
|
43
|
36
|
39
|
37
|
Yearly breakdown of the number of drivers or motorcyclists that suffered a serious or minor injury in a fatal road traffic collision from 2016 to 2021 and were subsequently taken to hospital:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
67
|
39
|
41
|
33
|
35
|
36
|
Yearly breakdown of the number of drivers or motorcyclists taken to hospital as a result of a fatal road traffic collision from 2016 to 2021 and were not tested for alcohol in hospital:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
41
|
32
|
27
|
20
|
25
|
29
|
As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for all Garda operational matters, including roads policing matters. As Minister I cannot direct An Garda Síochána in how its members carry out these duties, including the testing of individuals for alcohol, nor can I comment on such matters.
I am also advised by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to provide the reasons why drivers are not tested in hospital, as the PULSE system only records reasons for not testing at the scene of the accident.
I am also advised by the Garda authorities that the most common reason for not testing these drivers is that the driver was not at the scene of the collision when Gardaí arrived. Another common reason is in situations where a test cannot be administered on medical grounds, or the driver has already gone to the hospital.
I trust that this information is of assistance.
