Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

Does the Minister accept that there are two major gaps in the information that is made available about the circumstances in which road accidents take place? We are not given any information about the status of drivers who are involved in accidents. We do not know whether accidents are more likely to involve unlicensed drivers, for example, or drivers with provisional licences. It is important, given that almost 400,000 people are driving on provisional licences, that such information be made available. It stands to reason that driver status is an important aspect of this matter, especially as so many young people are involved in serious accidents.

Does the Minister accept that there is a lack of information about the quality of the surfaces of roads on which accidents take place? The Health and Safety Authority does not have a role in examining road accidents. Who is policing local authorities to ensure that they provide adequate signage and set speed limits when road works are ongoing or have recently been finished? It does not seem that anybody is considering whether such factors contribute to accidents or policing the precautions being taken in this regard.

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