Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I thank all the Senators who spoke on this motion tonight. While I wrote down some of their ideas, I will not attempt to comment on them all. Let me touch on some of the ideas that I found interesting.

Senator Kate Walsh spoke about the so-called joyriders and mentioned the work of judges. I agree there is a need for greater consistency in the courts in relation to such offences. Senator O'Toole mentioned that the driving test did not include an overtaking manoeuvre, which I did not know. The Senator also spoke about other issues and I believe it is possible to act on some of them. Senator Browne spoke about random testing. I do not understand the reason it has not been introduced. Perhaps the power of publicans has swayed the Government away from introducing it.

I was delighted to hear the suggestion by Senator Hayes based on the fact that in Australia, during peak times when they know there will be problems, they have double penalty points. I had not known of that before – it seems exactly right.

Senator Wilson mentioned traffic calming. That is something that needs to be reconsidered. There is the possibility that in some cases, although there may have been a sensible reason for taking those measures, they have not worked. Senator Phelan mentioned the same thing. Senator Henry talked about the fact that 20% of road deaths are caused by trucks, although trucks comprise only 3% of vehicles on the road. That is a huge anomaly and surely points to one of the causes of our elevated levels of road deaths. I am not sure whether that figure is correct, but Senator Ryan also cited it.

I was impressed by Senator Mansergh's point about drowsiness. The National Safety Council last year linked up with Lyons Tea for a campaign during which one could stop for a free cup of tea on the road. Senator Paddy Burke talked about courtesy. I once drove a van which had the name of my company on it and I was the most courteous driver imaginable. I let little old ladies by whom I might otherwise have ignored. There is a great new scheme whereby a sticker on the back of a truck directs people to call a number if they want to comment on the driver. Whether they get compliments or criticism, truck drivers, or at least fleet drivers, should take part in it.

Senator Burke talked about pedestrians. We have rules for pedestrians but we do not stick to them. In Oslo a couple of years ago I went across the road against a red light after looking up and down to check that nothing was coming. I was almost locked up in jail for crossing an empty road against a red light.