Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Transport when, in conjunction with other Government Departments, he will be in a position to collate the data relating to fatal motor accidents; if he will put in place the necessary structures to facilitate this procedure in an effort to determine precisely, insofar as is possible, the cause or causes of road traffic deaths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16181/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason a central unit is not appointed to correlate statistics on road traffic accidents with particular reference to obtaining information from the Gardaí, the local authorities and the health services with a view to precise identification of the cause or causes with the objective of taking appropriate action to reduce the number of such accidents, particularly those ending in fatalities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16574/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 336 together.

Statistics relating to road accidents are based on information provided by the Garda Síochána, and are currently published by the National Roads Authority (NRA) in their annual Road Accident Facts reports. The most recent report, now entitled "Road Collision Facts", relates to 2004 and is available in the Oireachtas Library and on the NRA website. Statistics relating to 2005 are not yet fully analysed or authenticated.

The 2004 report refers in particular to the various contributory factors to collisions where such data is available. In that context the Report in respect of 2004 notes that driver error accounted for 88% of all contributory factors in respect of all collisions where such were identified. Pedestrian error was the next most listed factor at 8% with road factors accounting for 2% of all of those listed. The remaining factors listed related to vehicle and environmental factors.

Other than this, the Report does not address a ranking order for contributory factors to collisions on a specific or general basis. The Report, however, notes that during the hours of the day most strongly associated with drinking and driving, some 26% of fatalities were recorded.

The annual road collision reports provide a significant degree of knowledge that supports and informs the deployment of road safety measures, which are pursued within the planning framework of the multi-annual Road Safety Strategies. In addition, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) will have a significant input into advancing the road safety agenda in the future. The functions assigned to the Road Safety Authority include a mandate in relation to the collation of data and statistics as well as policy research and development.

While a central unit is not currently appointed to collate statistics on road traffic accidents, the new Authority as part of its remit, can examine how best to gather and collate statistics and information on road traffic accidents from the relevant Departments and Agencies with a view to the precise identification of the cause or causes of road fatalities with the objective of taking appropriate action to reduce the number of such accidents. Research undertaken by the RSA will also enable further in depth analyses into the causes of road traffic accidents and the evaluation of what action might be taken to prevent recurrence.