The Government has committed itself in the first national road safety strategy to reducing deaths and serious injuries from road accidents by at least 20 per cent within five years.
Speaking at the launch of the strategy, "The Road to Safety", in Government Buildings yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said that more than 26,000 people had died on Irish roads this century. The situation amounted to an unacceptable social problem that had to be tackled immediately and systematically, he added.
According to the new blueprint, covering 1998 to 2002 and approved by Government earlier this week, reductions in road accidents could be most quickly achieved by targeting human behaviour.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, said that a rising trend in fatal road accidents since 1994 - 472 people were killed in 1997 - underlined the threat of an actual deterioration in road safety.
At present, about 40 per cent of cars and heavy vehicles on Irish roads breach the principal speed limits. Alcohol is still a major factor in road accidents. The rate of seat-belt wearing is well below international best practice.
As road travel in Ireland doubles between 1990 and 2000, the strategy prepared by the high-level group for the Government has targeted these three areas for particular attention.
The key measures will include legislation, later this year, to allow the development of a penalty points system for driving offences. However, according to the Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Robert Molloy, this system would apply only to minor offenders who repeatedly break the law. It would lead to penalties such as the loss of a driving licence for a number of months.
The new proposals also involve using breath-testing as evidence in drink-driving prosecution. Presently a blood or urine sample is required. This would also require legislative change. Random breath-testing is also to be "considered", but no decision has yet been taken on this issue.
As the option of revising speed limits downwards is examined, automatic detection systems, including the installation of fixed speed cameras in Dublin, Louth and Meath, are to be extended.
On-the-spot fines for the non-wearing of seat belts and other offences are also to be introduced. A publicity campaign would emphasise the need to wear seat belts on all trips and a national survey on the practice is to be conducted.
According to the strategy, road-safety policies and measures would be enhanced by upgrading Garda and other integrated traffic systems. A written theory test, which a driving licence applicant would be required to pass, would also be introduced. However, it is not proposed to make it an offence to use a mobile phone while driving.
Meanwhile, awareness and education programmes aimed at all road-users would be continued, with pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists "strategically targeted". "Within five years, the Government wants to reduce death and serious injuries from road accidents by at least 20 per cent. If we succeed - and the Government and the road safety agencies are determined that we should - 172 lives will be saved in the year 2002 compared to continuing on the present basis", Mr Ahern said.
Admitting that it would be difficult to reach the stated target, the Taoiseach called for all road-users to exercise special care over the busy August bank holiday weekend.
People must realise themselves that the present rate of fatalities and injuries was unacceptable and that it is "not a good idea to drive at 90 m.p.h.", he said.
