Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister. I am sure this Bill has all-party support because it is very hard to find anybody who is opposed to it. The Minister has grabbed hold of challenges in the past and I remember well when he introduced the plastic bag tax. He listened carefully to those of us with problems and took them on board. As a result, the plastic bag tax has been hugely successful. I am sure the same will apply to his efforts in regard to road safety.

There was a very bad accident very close to Mosney in the Minister's constituency and I believe in Senator Carroll's area in, I think, 1963. Five people were killed, three of whom had been in school with me. I remember the following week going out to get a new thing called a "seat belt". It was not compulsory at the time. I remember saying to everyone I met that I would never drive without a seat belt. I would have felt a right fool if I had an accident and was not wearing it. The same applies to alcohol, about which Senator Carroll spoke. It is interesting that young people nowadays, in particular our families, are astounded if anybody had a glass of something and drives.

I remember some years ago a good friend of mine came to our home and we went to a restaurant close to where we live. He telephoned me the following day - I thought to thank me - to remind me that I had a few glasses of wine and drove home. This was perhaps 20 years ago. I said it was a short distance but he said he thought I was most unwise. He was a real friend - somebody who said he was saving my life and drawing attention to something which is quite common now in that we just know that one does not drink and drive. However, in those days, we did not always think that.

We have all talked about the human cost but I was surprised to read the cost of road safety. The figure in regard to fatal and road injury collisions for 2008 is €1.2 billion. I do not know how accurate that is or where the Minister got that figure. However, it is nothing compared to the human cost. We must remember the massive progress we have made when it comes to road safety. There has been a 41% reduction in road deaths, in particular, from 107 to 54 per 1 million inhabitants between 2001 and now. It makes sense that the legislation gives gardaí the power to test all drivers involved in a crash where somebody has been killed or injured for alcohol.

Could we come up with more ideas to improve road safety in other ways? Could every car have a mandatory warning triangle? A warning triangle was provided with my car but I gather they are not mandatory. They should be placed on the road if a car has broken down. They would make the road safer and would give motorists some warning of an obstacle ahead. During the recent bad weather a number of cars were abandoned by the side of the road. It is interesting to read that in some parts of Europe legislation requires that snow chains are provided with cars. I hope we do not need them despite the weather we had a few weeks ago. Many of the cars abandoned by the side of the road during the snow were obscured and a warning triangle would have helped motorists to avoid a crash.

A triangle is already compulsory in many European countries, including France and Germany, and perhaps the Minister will indicate whether it is here. It could be a mandatory item sold with new cars or it could be mandatory to have one from 2012. The cost would be approximately €5 or €10 but it would be much less if the car manufacturers supplied them.

In some countries, every car must have a small standardised first aid kit. I am not sure if that is compulsory here. It is a requirement in Germany and Spain and it has the effect of helping to limit the effects of serious injury or worse and it would be of relatively little cost. I have seen first aid kits in Europe for €10 or €15, although the cost in Ireland would be much more expensive.

In some countries, including Spain, France and Belgium, one must wear a reflective vest if one's car breaks down and one must get out of it. It is obviously very dangerous to get out of a car on a motorway and there have been cases of people being run over after their car has broken down. It would be helpful for people to have reflective vests and whether it should be compulsory is worthy of consideration. In many European countries carrying a fire extinguisher in case of engine fire is strongly recommended. I am not sure if it is compulsory here but if it is not, it should be.

I refer to drivers' eyesight and how that could contribute to accidents. Eyesight usually markedly declines as a person gets older. If a person passes an eyesight test at 18 years of age, I do not think there is a requirement for a further test until one is 70 years of age. Senator Mary White might be able to tell me if that is correct. I am not sure that is an ideal situation. There was a letter in a newspaper recently written by somebody over the age of 70 who complained that they had to get a licence every two years, that it cost them money and that the only photograph they can get cost them €10. I would not be surprised if Senator Mary White spoke about that.

Senator Mary White raised the problem of tourists over 70 years of age renting a car previously. I know it has nothing to do with this Bill but it is a challenge in regard to efforts to promote road safety if rental car firms place stipulations on people over 70 years of age. I am over 70 years of age and I feel quite capable of driving a car. I would not like to be told I was too old to rent a car and I hope it does not happen.

Making it compulsory to carry a warning triangle and first aid kit could make a significant contribution to road safety. There is much talk from the Road Safety Authority about getting the message across but what about implementing something practical and straightforward which would have the effect of putting road safety in people's minds? I do not believe people would object if they were legally required to carry a first aid kit and I believe there would be support for that.

I support the Bill which strives to improve road safety. The suggestions I outlined could have a big impact on improving road safety. I would like some or all of these proposals to be discussed or implemented in the near future. I know the Minister listens to all suggestions and has implemented many changes. This one is worthy of support. I would not be surprised if the Minister got support for everything he proposes here as well as for additional measures.