Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)

Despite what the previous speaker said, it is probably true to say that in this country the most dangerous place to be is in a car on our roads. I cannot think of any more dangerous place. I want to focus on the issue of road accidents involving heavy trucks. I understand that following all road accidents, the Garda Síochána forwards detailed reports to the National Roads Authority and each local authority to establish accident causes and trends. As well as using these reports, it would be a useful exercise to commission a separate study into accidents involving trucks and to make recommendations based on the findings. I am focusing on trucks for a specific reason. If a car is hit by a heavy truck the strong likelihood is that there will be fatalities and horrific injuries. The fatalities will almost always be among the passengers or driver of the more vulnerable vehicle, namely the car. The truck driver will be either slightly injured or, as we hear so often in news reports of such horrific accidents, suffering from shock.

We are told that in the region of 15% of fatal road accidents involve trucks. However, what percentage of all accidents involving trucks result in fatalities or serious injuries? I expect the percentage is very high. Despite that, however, it may surprise many road users that the rules of the road specify a speed limit of 80 km/h or 50 mph for trucks and coaches. How many of us see trucks travelling at less than 50 mph? The fact that trucks, which are lethal weapons, ignore these speed limits is a scandal. It is also a scandal that to some degree this problem is being swept under the carpet.

Many people in control of trucks drive recklessly, irresponsibly and far faster than is permitted or safe for other road users. If they are involved in a road accident, however, the odds are that they will not be injured unless they are unlucky enough to be hit by a heavier truck.

There is a need to establish the facts concerning truck driving in this country, to discover whether trucks keep within speed limits and whether the law is rigorously enforced. We must ascertain whether additional measures are needed to ensure that the number of people who die or are injured as a result of accidents involving trucks can be reduced.

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