Dublin heads Europe in road death reductions

DUBLIN HAS succeeded in reducing road deaths by more than any other European capital over the past decade, according to a study published in Brussels today.

In the 10-year period between 1997 and 2007 Dublin saw an average yearly reduction in fatal crashes of 12.16 per cent, topping a list of 25 cities, according to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) study.

Lisbon and Oslo also ranked highly, with average yearly reductions of 10 per cent and 9 per cent respectively over the decade. Berlin recorded the lowest number of road deaths last year with 1.64 per 100,000 population. It was followed by Paris (1.7), Oslo (1.82) and Helsinki, (1.93). Dublin had 2.17 road deaths per 100,000 population in 2007, while in London the figure was 2.95.

In 1997, with fewer cars on the road than in recent years, there were nearly 11 road deaths per 100,000 population in Dublin. This figure fell steadily for the four years after 1997, but rose again in 2002, spiked in 2004 to 5.19 and then fell in 2005 and 2006.

The ETSC report shows that between 2001 and 2007 Dublin saw an average yearly reduction in road deaths of just over 2.5 per cent compared to 12.7 per cent in Lisbon, 12.13 per cent in Oslo, 11 per cent in Stockholm and 10.5 per cent in Paris.

Over these six years, road deaths in Dublin have ranged from 2.84 per 100,000 population in 2001 to 5.19 in 2004. It was reduced to 2.17 last year.

Pedestrians and cyclists account for more than 60 per cent of road deaths in the capital, with car drivers accounting for less than 20 per cent.

But Dublin is making faster progress than the rest of the country, according to the study. The annual average percentage reduction in road deaths is almost 9 percentage points higher in the capital than outside it.

The situation is also likely to be favourable with the reduction in traffic using the city centre since the Port Tunnel was opened at the end of 2006 and the expected extension of 30km/h zones in some city centre streets.