New stats show govt action key to reducing road deaths
Issued : Tuesday 26 September, 2006
Statement by Roisin Shortall TD
Minister of State, Department of Health with responsibility for Primary Care
Labour Party Spokesperson on Transport, Roisin Shortall TD, has said that the publication of a new survey from the European Transport Safety Council ranking Ireland near the bottom of a table of EU countries for reducing road deaths must provoke the Government into more direct action on road safety.
“This new survey shows how far Ireland lags behind our EU counterparts in cutting road deaths over the last seven years. Since 2000 countries such as France, Luxembourg and Belgium have reduced fatalities by between 27 and 35%. In the same period, Ireland’s rate has fallen by just 7%.
“In recent months there are some encouraging signs that finally the rate of road deaths is starting to slacken. This has come as a direct result of long overdue measures such as random breath testing. This proves that direct Government action can reduce fatalities.
“As a society we must ask ourselves why we are doing so poorly in comparison to other countries? What is it about Irish roads and driving habits that contribute to our high death-rate? What reforms can be implemented by the Government to improve driver testing and safety standards?
“The Labour Party believes that rigorous enforcement and modernisation of the driver training and testing regime is key to improving safety. Also, the Government must deliver on its commitment to provide more speed cameras and to implement fully the Road Traffic Act 2006.
“Earlier this year we proposed a radical overhaul of the driver testing system drawing heavily on the countless good examples of driver education and testing regimes that exist elsewhere in Europe, and that have been proved successful by today’s statistics.
“As the ETSC emphasise, political will to implement reforms is key to cutting road deaths. However, given the lackadaisical attitude of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats towards prioritising this vital issue, it seems we may have to wait for a change of Government before action is taken.”
