Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Transport further to his public pronouncements, the number of serious road accidents deemed to have been caused by road conditions at recognised accident blackspots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18507/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Overall responsibility for the planning, design and implementation of National Road Projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority and the relevant local Authority — Roads Act 1993. Section 17(1). Statistics relating to road accidents are based on information provided by the Garda Siochana, 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.

The NRA Report does not specifically publish information with regard to the number of road accidents deemed to have happened at recognized accident blackspots. As part of the Government's Road Safety Strategy 2004 to 2006, the NRA, the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government and Local Authorities have been implementing low cost remedial measures at approximately 240 locations on national roads and another 400 locations on non-national roads. In addition a further 20 higher cost works are being carried out at other locations on national roads.