Ms Moyagh Murdock:

I thank the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications for extending its invitation to me to speak on conviction rates for drink driving offences. I welcome the opportunity in the lead-up to Christmas to call on drivers not to drink and drive. Drink driving is a serious road safety issue. Those drinking and driving have killed and injured road users and, in the process, destroyed families and communities. The relative risk of being involved in a fatal crash as a driver is up to ten times greater for drivers with a blood alcohol level, BAC, of between 0.05 g/dL and 0.07 g/dL compared with drivers with zero alcohol in their systems.

We know from a nationally representative survey of 1,000 motorists conducted in November 2014 that one in ten drivers, representing almost 300,000 drivers, admitted to drink driving in the preceding 12 months. We also know that only 62% of drivers believe it is not safe to drive having taken any alcohol on board. We can take from this that there is still ambivalence and, in some cases, contempt among some drivers about drinking and driving. We also know that those who drink and drive are more likely to speed, which is another killer behaviour. Taken together, these significantly multiply the chances of a collision and the risk of injury or death.

There has been press comment in recent times about the rate of conviction in our courts for drink driving offences. This has led to unease about the effectiveness of law enforcement and concern that drink driving is being taken lightly. I believe, and have said so in the media, that some of the data quoted appeared to be out of context and was misinterpreted. I note that this position has now been clarified. A recent statement by the Courts Service clarifies the position by stating:

Recent reporting, and commentary on drink driving cases and conviction rates, has been inaccurate: simply due to the extrapolation of conviction rates from the wrong set of figures. This has distorted the actual outcomes in cases heard, and in no way reflects the conviction rates in the District Courts. Conviction rates are actually over twice the 40% reported and commented upon recently. In figures compiled over the past week by the Courts Service - it is clear that the average figure for convictions each year is between 85% and 88%.

The simple error people made in commenting on the recent figures, was made by comparing convictions to summonses requested, printed and issued - and then comparing them to the UK figures - which relate to cases actually heard and finalised - not the number of summonses in the system at one stage or another.

There are two important aspects to take away from this finding. First, our conviction rates compare favourably with UK rates. Second, it gives those caught a clear message that if one engages in drink driving and ends up in court, one has a nine out of ten chance of being convicted.

I shall give a brief update on the road safety situation in Ireland as of this month. As the deputy commissioner, Mr. Twomey, has mentioned, there have been 138 fatal collisions on Irish roads this year, resulting in 144 deaths. This is 26 fewer fatal collisions and 34 fewer deaths than the same period last year, which represents a decrease of almost 20%. The average number of fatalities for 2015 to date stands at 13 deaths per month, compared with an average of 16 deaths per month in 2014. Should the reducing trend of 13 deaths per month continue for November and December, of which we are hopeful, the year would end with 156 fatalities, thus representing the safest year on record. It will bring Ireland back into line with the longer-term trend of decline observed since 2005. The death toll for 2014 was 193 deaths, compared with 188 deaths in 2013. The safest year was 2012, when we had 162 deaths.

As per the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020, the target is to reduce deaths to 124 or fewer by 2020, which is equivalent to 25 deaths per million population. The lowest fatality rate, equating to 35 deaths per million, was achieved in 2012. Unfortunately, that figure rose 42 deaths per million for 2013 and 2014. In order to meet the target set for 2020, a 36% decline in fatalities is required between 2014 and 2020.

Reviewing the number of fatalities per month in 2015 to date, April was the safest month of the year, with eight deaths, which is a commendable figure, although unfortunate for the families who lost a loved one. April was the safest month since November 2012. Compared with 2014, most months had a lower number of fatalities and were safer in 2015. The only exception was July, which had 20 deaths compared with 18 deaths in July 2014, and September 2015, which had 15 deaths compared with 11 deaths last year. The summer of 2014 was a particularly dangerous period on our roads, but this danger period has not materialised to the same extent in 2015.

To date in 2015, 65 drivers and 24 passengers have lost their lives on Irish roads, compared with 75 drivers and 35 passengers over the same period in 2014. Overall, this represents 21 fewer vehicle occupant deaths compared with the same period last year. Sixteen of the 65 drivers, or 25% of those killed, and eight of the 24 passengers, or 33%, were confirmed not to have been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. That finding is hard to believe.

Deaths among vulnerable road users, which include pedestrians, motorcyclists and pedal cyclists, represent almost half of all deaths on our roads so far this year. There has been an overall decline in deaths among vulnerable road users since last year. However, it is important to note that motorcyclists and pedal cyclists remain as high risk as last year, particularly around this time of year. The decline noted among pedestrians must be viewed in the context of the move to this time of year. Pedestrians walking during the hours of darkness must be careful and pay heed to the risk involved. To date in 2015, there has also been a significant decline in the number of deaths among children under 15 years, which is welcome.

I shall list the interventions that I believe have contributed to the overall decline observed to date in 2015. The RSA held its international conference on child safety earlier this year following a bad year last year. The transfer of the Go Slow campaign, carried out by the RSA and the Garda Síochána, to the high-risk period of summer proved particularly effective. We also had a high-profile launch of the RSA's fatality review in July. As Mr. Twomey mentioned, there were a number of legal interventions and increases in penalty points for specific offences in August 2014, which has had an impact. Road safety has featured heavily in media reporting in second half of 2015. Regardless of what the story is, we need to keep road safety front and centre in the public's awareness. We have had a number of very high-profile RSA public awareness campaigns and advertisements.

An analysis of the profile of road users killed shows that the following areas of intervention remain critical if the reduction in fatalities is to be sustained in 2016. We must highlight the role of alcohol as a contributory factor in serious and fatal collisions; highlight motorcyclist safety, especially in summer months and with reference to speed control; promote the wearing of high-visibility clothing by pedestrians; promote safe behaviours by young and older drivers, particularly young male drivers; convey the importance of wearing seatbelts, because there has been an incredibly high rate of deaths among vehicle occupants caused by not wearing a seatbelt, in some cases in relatively minor collisions; and continue to reduce the incidence of unaccompanied driving by learner drivers. RSA figures show that unaccompanied learner drivers are involved in five times more fatal collisions than accompanied learner drivers.

Finally, I must ask drivers, as we approach this festive season, not to drink and drive and wreak havoc on families and communities this Christmas. We have seen that happen so often in recent times with the Treacy family and Christina Donnelly also. I also appeal to passengers in cars to step up and take responsibility to ensure that their friends, partners or spouses do not drive when they have taken a drink. There is a collective responsibility when it comes to drink driving.