Ireland's road safety progress recognised
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The European Road Safety Council (ERSC) held its 4th Road Safety PIN Conference on 22 June 2010 in Brussels. During the event, PIN Awards for outstanding progress in road safety were awarded to Estonia and Ireland. The awards recognise:
- substantial and sustainable reduction in road deaths since 2001;
- implementation of comprehensive road safety policies and measures; and,
- increased enforcement of major traffic offences.
In particular, Ireland has achieved a 41% reduction in road deaths, and has cut road deaths from 107 to 54 per million inhabitants between 2001 and 2009.
Last week also saw the passing of the Road Traffic Bill 2009 by the Dail. Whilst publicity focused on the reduction of alcohol limits for driving motorised vehicles, pedal cycles and animal drawn vehicles, and mandating alcohol testing following accidents, the Bill also removes a large number of loopholes from previous Road Traffic Acts and associated legislation, introduces a 40kph speed limit and provides enabling legislation for the Minister of Transport to initiate a system of 'payment deposit' by which non-resident drivers would be required to pay a proportion of the maximum fine or fixed penalty charge if a member of the Garda or a transport officer has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence has been committed.
Subsequent to 28 people being killed on Ireland's roads during May 2010, Garda statistics for this month (to 29th June 2010), indicate 11 fatalities. This brings the total number of fatalities in road traffic collisions for the year to date to 100, 22 fewer than by the same day in 2009.
PIN is the ETSC's Road Safety Performance Index which 'covers all relevant areas of road safety including road user behaviour, infrastructure and vehicles, as well as road safety policymaking more generally'. Previous recipients of PIN Awards are France (2007), Portugal (2008) and, Latvia and Spain (2009).
29 June 2010
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