Young people - and particularly young men - think they are invulnerable, especially when they sit behind the wheel of a car. This belief that the hand of death may reach out to other people, but not to them, encourages them to take terrible risks that frequently result in multiple fatalities. We saw the results last weekend in horrific crashes and mangled metal. And we mourned with the many families and friends that have been left shattered by these awful, tragic events.
There is no simple answer to this serious social problem. A young male culture that glories in speed and risk-taking is the hardest issue to address. Greater responsibility will have to be inculcated within this 17-24 year-old group through peer pressure and advertising campaigns. The issue of alcohol and drug abuse has to be confronted. Parents must play their part by withholding the family car in instances where the driver is not fully qualified. And the Garda Traffic Corps will have to be expanded so as to ensure a higher level of enforcement.
The Road Safety Authority is to put forward a series of recommendations designed to reduce the level of death and injury among young male drivers to Minister for Transport Martin Cullen. The changes proposed have been drawn from the experiences of other countries where unacceptable road fatality levels drove their governments to introduce specific, remedial measures. In other words, we could be much more advanced in tackling this horrendous problem had we paid sufficient attention to international trends and best practice.
Even if the Minister accepts the recommendations of the newly-appointed Road Safety Authority, the legislation needed to give effect to tough new measures is unlikely to pass through the Dáil until next year. That should not mean a continuation of high crash rates. Enforcement is the key to reducing road deaths. The introduction of mandatory breath-testing has generated about 450 cases of drunk-driving every weekend. This increase in Garda enforcement, along with a more rigorous approach to other motoring offences, has led to an overall reduction in road deaths in recent months.
Whatever about traffic laws aimed specifically at young male drivers, such as lower thresholds for disqualification and restrictions on speed, past experience has shown that the behaviour of all motorists is most directly influenced by the threat of being caught and punished. Unless the Government is prepared to invest in a greatly expanded traffic corps, we will continue to experience an unacceptable level of fatalities in rural areas as a result of late night, single vehicle crashes.