The average cost of a fatal road accident last year was €1,357,489, according to figures compiled by the National Roads Authority.
The NRA's Road Accident Facts 2002 report estimates the total cost of all road accidents last year was around €728 million. It also estimates that accidents resulting in serious injury cost an average of €168,461, while minor-injury accidents cost an average of €16,142.
The report, due to be published this week, is the 10th annual review of information provided to the NRA by the Garda. It shows a total of 376 people were killed on the roads in 346 fatal accidents in 2002. This represents a decline of 35, or 9 per cent, on 2001.
The reduction in road deaths is concentrated in November and December of last year, confirming the effectiveness of the introduction of the penalty points system for speeding motorists. Garda statistics for most of this year point to a continued decline in road deaths.
Where the cause of accidents was specified, driver error was cited by gardaí in 86 per cent of cases. The next most listed factor, pedestrian error, accounted for less than 10 per cent. Road factors accounted for 2.5 per cent of all listed contributory factors.
The report says almost 70 per cent of fatal accidents or those involving injuries only in 2002 occurred in dry weather. Almost 56 per cent occurred on a dry road while more than 56 per cent occurred on a straight road. Accidents involving only one vehicle were reported in 30 per cent of all fatal crashes while head-on collisions accounted for 28 per cent.
On a county-by-county basis, Longford emerges as having the highest accident rate in the State. The county recorded 3.1 accidents per 1,000 population and 6.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles. Offaly has the lowest rate per 1,000 population and one of the lowest per 1,000 licenced vehicles.
Ireland recorded the seventh-lowest road fatality rate in the EU. There were 10.7 fatalities per 100,000 population in 2002, a reduction of 0.3 compared to 2001. Men accounted for 72 per cent of fatalities on the roads in 2002, although the gender of the victim was not specified in all cases.
