The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has unveiled a new campaign that aims for no road deaths or serious injuries on Irish roads by 2050.
The RSA’s Who was Mary Ward? Vision Zero campaign is asking all road users for their support in changing their behaviour to make Irish roads safer.
The campaign centres around the story of Mary Ward (1827–1869), who was the first person in the world to be recorded as killed by a motor vehicle – at Birr, Co Offaly – in 1869.
The RSA is calling for public support in “working towards a reality where we see our last life lost on Irish roads”.
The RSA is encouraging people to “have a conversation with friends, family members and colleagues about Vision Zero”, and to “look at their own behaviour and commit to making one positive change that would contribute to safer roads”.
Jack Chambers, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, said the campaign “requires the collaboration of Government agencies, law enforcement, and road users themselves”.
“While the Vision Zero target is ambitious, it is achievable. Between 2006 and 2018 we cut road deaths by almost two-thirds. After many successful years, there has been an alarming increase in fatalities in more recent times,” he said.
“Every single death is a tragedy for the victims’ families, friends and communities. Our ambition now is to reduce road deaths by 50 per cent by 2030,” Chambers added.
The Government, RSA, and gardaí are working to reform the penalty points system, implement a speed limit review and deliver public information campaigns, he said.
Sam Waide, chief executive of the RSA, said “if every member of the public today committed to making one positive change in their driving behaviour, it will make our roads a safer place and help us in achieving this vision”.
Through the campaign, the families of victims have “bravely come forward to impart the human impact and permanence of such tragedies and have kindly granted permission for their loved one’s names to appear in the campaign”, Liz O’Donnell, chairwoman of the RSA, said.
“I am asking all road users to think about one thing they could do to prevent further tragedy, so no more families are left needlessly grieving a life lost on Irish roads,” she said.
As part of the campaign, the RSA is asking teachers to include Vision Zero as part of road safety learning in all schools across the country.
The RSA is providing a lesson plan directly to schools this month, which includes the history of Mary Ward in an effort to install the importance of road safety for future generations.
As off September 11th, 2023, 130 people have died on Irish roads, 25 more than the same period in 2022.
