Drivers returning to speeding habit

Figures obtained from one of the State's biggest motor insurers suggest that drivers are slipping back into old habits and have begun speeding again.

Data collated by the AXA insurance company show that while there was a slowdown in speeding immediately after the introduction of penalty points, 60 per cent of that improvement has been lost.

If current rates of deterioration continue, all of the benefits gained since penalty points came into force last October may be lost within a matter of weeks.

The new figures represent the first quantitative data on the impact of penalty points since the scheme began. They will come as a disappointment to the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, who launches a National Safety Council TV advertising campaign today urging motorists to slow down and "Get the point, not the points".

Official Garda figures reveal the number of fatalities on Irish roads are beginning to rise again. In November and December 2002, 11 lives were saved per month. However, in the first five months of this year, that figure has dropped to an average of 3.2 lives saved per month.

In May 2002, 20 lives were lost on Irish roads. The figure rose to 38 in May of this year.

AXA, the State's second largest motor insurer, began fitting "Traksure" devices in their clients' cars two years ago. They record the speed of a vehicle every 15 seconds it is running.

Almost 1,200 young male drivers between the ages of 19 and 25 have signed up for the Traksure scheme since it began.

A copy of the company's compliance statistics has been obtained by The Irish Times.

It reveals that in September 2002 motorists taking part in the scheme were speeding on average 8.84 per cent of the time.

In November, when penalty points were introduced, compliance with the speed limit showed a marked improvement with drivers speeding on average 6.27 per cent of the time. Since then, driver habits have showed a steady deterioration. In December, the AXA motorists were exceeding the speed limit an average 6.64 per cent of the time. That figure revealed an improvement in January, dropping to 6.08 per cent.

But every month since then, AXA's data shows motorists have been more inclined to exceed speed limits. In February they were breaking the speed limit 6.33 per cent of the time. That was up again in March to 6.69 per cent, and jumped even further in April to 7.4 per cent.

When the April figure is compared with the November figure, it reveals 60 per cent of the improvement in the speeding compliance rate has been lost already, just six months into the scheme. If the April rate of deterioration is repeated in May, the rates of speeding will be almost as high as they were before points were introduced.

AXA stressed its data was based on a relatively small study group. The study group is also made up of young male drivers, the very group being urged to reduce speed.