Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Transport the way in which he proposes to meet the targets in the new National Road Safety Strategy 2004-2006 in view of the fact that many of the targets set out in this document were also included in the previous Road Safety Strategy 1998-2002 and were not realised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26999/04]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The primary target of the new Government strategy on road safety is to realise a 25% reduction in road collision fatalities by the end of 2006 over the average annual number of fatalities in the 1998-2003 period. Achievement of the target will result in no more than 300 deaths per annum by the end of the period of the strategy.

The strategy proposes a range of measures in the enforcement, engineering, education and legislation areas to target further reductions in deaths and injuries. An integrated strategic approach will ensure that the road safety agencies work together to achieve the targets set out in the new strategy.

The Government strongly pursued the implementation of its first Strategy for Road Safety 1998-2002. The strategy prioritised a systematic and co-ordinated set of measures for preventing and reducing road accidents. The principal target was to reduce road deaths and serious injuries each by at least 20% by 2002 relative to 1997. Priority was accorded by the strategy to actions targeted at speeding, alcohol, seat belt wearing and vulnerable road users. The primary target was achieved in the case of road deaths and surpassed in the case of serious injuries. The interim targets fixed by the strategy for achievement by 2000 were also well met. The target in extending low cost accident measures across the national road network to 400 locations was achieved and exceeded, with 418 schemes completed by end of 2002.

Garda enforcement activity was intensified and improved in accordance with the road safety strategy and speed limit enforcement was also supported by an increase in mobile speed detection, the use of laser speed detection as well as in-car and motorcycle cameras. The road safety strategy also provided for the implementation of a penalty points system in support of road safety enforcement. Penalty points have been introduced in relation to speeding offences since the end of October 2002 and have since been introduced in relation to seat-belt wearing, driving without insurance and careless driving. Evidential breath testing was introduced and has been rolled out over the lifetime of the strategy and a number of hard-hitting advertising campaigns were developed. An extended basis for breath testing was introduced in 2003 on foot of a commitment in the first road safety strategy.

By the end of the period of the first strategy almost all of the measures set out were either fully or partially implemented. During the intervening period between the completion of the first strategy and the introduction of the new strategy, my Department and all the agencies concerned with the implementation of road safety measures ensured that the successful measures brought forward under the road to safety continued to be implemented. New targets have been set in the key areas of speeding, seat-belt wearing and drink driving, as well as a revised target for reductions in the number of deaths. These targets differ from those set in the first road safety strategy and are based on progress made in these areas over the past six years. In addition, initiatives will be pursued that will progress measures identified in the previous strategy in respect of which full implementation was not realised. This is particularly the case in respect of the achievement of the rollout of the penalty points system and the supporting fixed charge system. That will be facilitated by the early passage of the Road Traffic Bill 2004, which is due to be debated in the House this week.