Concern as road deaths and drink-driving arrests rise

Seven more people have died on the roads in the year to July 21st than in the previous 12 months according to the mid-year review of road safety published by An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority.

There were 89 fatal collisions and 93 fatalities from July 21st last to year to the same date this year, an 8 per cent increase in deaths and a 10 per cent increase in crashes.

Gardaí and the authority have expressed their concern and disappointment at the increase in deaths in the past 12 months after the number of fatalities fell in the 2015 calendar year to 166, compared with 193 in 2014.

They have warned that based on current trends a further 80 people could die by the end of the year unless a change in behaviour occurs.

As gardaí launched their bank holiday enforcement campaign, Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid said that 543 people had been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving since July 1st, an increase of 17 per cent on last year.

For July and August gardaí are conducting seven 24-hour periods of targeted operations focusing on high-risk periods and locations associated with drink-driving. “We are appealing to the public to take responsibility for their own behaviour particularly coming up to the bank holiday,” he said.

‘Disappointing’

Chairwoman of the Road Safety Authority Liz O’Donnell pointed to the 8 per cent increase in fatalities.

“It’s very disappointing and people need to know that so people can reboot and recharge and recognise that they have to take precautions on the road and take personal responsibility for the fact that they are putting their own and other lives at risk by speeding, by drinking alcohol, by being distracted by mobile phones and not wearing seat belts.”

She said “these are all basics and we have to return to basics when we see the unfortunate trajectory going the other way”.

Chief executive of the RSA Moyagh Murdock said bank holidays were a high-risk period and she warned of driver fatigue and that it could be a factor in 20 per cent of deaths.

May was a peak month for fatalities to date with 19, followed by March when 17 people were killed in road collisions.

Cork had the most fatalities among all road users with 17 deaths, followed by Limerick and Tipperary where nine people died in each of those counties.

Cork also had the highest number of vulnerable road user fatalities – pedestrians, motorcyclist and cyclists – where five people died, followed by Dublin and Tipperary, each with four deaths.

Garda research manager Maggie Martin said there were 10 fewer deaths among 16-25-year-old drivers and seven fewer among 56-65-year-olds but the number of deaths among 26-35-year-olds rose by four.

However, Ms Martin said that while there had been a reduction in the younger age group of drivers being killed passenger fatalities were highest in this group at seven followed by those in the 66 and older group, where four people died in collisions.

She said there was a chance to bring the number of deaths back before the end of the year “if everybody takes a little bit more responsibility”.

Weekends are high-risk times and “you need to be particularly careful when you are out early hours in the morning at weekends”.

Ms Martin also highlighted the 11 fatalities among drivers and passengers who had not been wearing seat belts.

Overall the number of deaths among drivers increased by four to 43, while 18 passengers died, up by four.

Five cyclists died in the year, up one but fatalities dropped among pedestrians by one to 16 and among motorcyclists there were 11 deaths, down one.