‘Stricter measures’ considered as road deaths still on rise

Minister for Transport Shane Ross has said he is “very concerned” about a spike in road deaths and that he is investigating whether “stricter measures” can be introduced to bring the figures down.

To date this year, 131 people have been killed on Irish roads - an increase of 18 when compared to the same period last year.

Over the past seven days, four people have died on the roads. On average, 15 people die on the roads every month.

Mr Ross was speaking at Garda Headquarters in Dublin during the launch of an initiative called Project Edward. The aim of the scheme is to make September 21st a day when there are no fatalities on any of Europe’s roads.

On average, 70 people die and a further 370 are seriously injured every day on Europe’s roads.

‘Very concerned’

Asked about the rise in road deaths this year, Mr Ross said: “I’m very concerned about them. We should look very carefully at introducing stricter measures if necessary to ensure fatalities are reduced.

“It’s come as a big shock to everybody that the trend has been reversed. It’s a pan-European one, but it’s one we can’t be complacent about.

“I’m looking to see if there are any measures we can take in my department to reduce them without just relying on advertisements and promotions. There’s a road traffic Bill coming though now which addresses drug-driving, which is very important, and I hope that will make a difference.”

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan urged road users to examine their behaviour on the road.

“Over the past decade, road-users in Ireland have worked hard to change their behaviour on the roads for the better,” she said.

“However, to date in 2016, 131 people have lost their lives on our roads. We now need to refocus our efforts in order to prevent further needless loss of life.

Personal responsibility

“Project Edward is an excellent opportunity to turn our attention towards our own behaviour on the roads, to take personal responsibility for our actions, and to make every effort to share the roads safely with one another.”

Road Safety Authority director Pearse White called on road users to realise their actions could have “devastating consequences”.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility, just as our roads are a shared space,” he said. “None of us has the right to behave in a way that endangers others.

“You might think that it’s OK to drive a little bit above the speed limit, or to just have a couple of drinks and drive home, or to not bother putting your seatbelt on in the car. But the tragic reality is that these actions could have serious and devastating consequences for others. There are no more excuses - we need to improve how we use the road.”

To support Project Edward, road-users are being asked to make an online pledge to be a “better, safer driver” on www.tispol.org/edward. To date, 96,214 pledges have been made by road-users throughout Europe.