The number killed on the roads has dropped by almost 30 per cent since the introduction of random alcohol testing of motorists last July, compared with same period in 2005, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said.
Fatal crashes claimed the lives of 367 people last year, making it the second safest year on the roads since 1965. The number of road deaths was down 29 on 2005, a reduction of just over 7 per cent.
The figures were substantially lower in the latter half of the year with a 28 per cent reduction on the same period in 2005. The drop in fatal collisions coincided with the introduction of mandatory alcohol testing carried out by the gardaí at the roadside.
"Every death is one death too many but what these figures are telling us is that we are doing something right. That something is happening to make people change their behaviour," RSA spokesman Brian Farrell said.
The 2006 death toll is the lowest since 2003, the first full year after the introduction of penalty points for speeding when the number of road deaths fell to 335, and the second lowest since 1965, when 356 people died on the roads.
Several initiatives taken during 2006 contributed to the decline in fatal crashes, Mr Farrell said, however, the reduction in deaths was most dramatic following the introduction of random alcohol testing.
"There was a significant decline in the second half of the year, coinciding with the introduction of mandatory alcohol testing, but when it comes to road safety there are always a number of factors at play, including awareness and enforcement."
The enforcement of the rules of the road got a significant boost last year with the introduction of 150 extra gardaí to the traffic corps and the RSA advertising campaign increased awareness of the results of drink driving Mr Farrell said. The introduction of the "full complement" of penalty points offences which included the ban on the use of mobile phones while driving also contributed to road safety he said.
The RSA is to bring a new road safety strategy for the period up to 2011 to Government in February. However in the short term a number of measures will take effect this year, including the addition of 240 gardaí to the traffic corps.
The RSA intends to "eliminate the driving-test backlog" in 2007, Mr Farrell said. While drink-driving was the primary road safety focus of 2007, a major effort to combat speeding will get under way in 2007, Mr Farrell said. A contractor is to be appointed to operate a speed cameras at locations to be determined by the gardaí.
