Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 400: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will make a statement on the problems facing the Government and his Department [i]vis-À-vis[/i] the continued and unnecessary loss of life on roads here. [36236/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government Road Safety Strategy 2004-2006 sets a primary target of a 25% reduction in road collision fatalities by the end of 2006 over the average annual number of fatalities in the 1998-2003 period. This was always an ambitious target and one that required the continued commitment to a strategic, integrated approach by all of the road safety agencies.

A major independent review of the previous strategy confirms that basing the primary target on the achievement of progress in the areas of speeding, drink driving and seat belt wearing remains the correct approach and these remain the key areas central to the implementation of the Strategy.

Significant initiatives identified in the Strategy that have been realised to date include the introduction of a new system of metric speed limits, the further extension of the operation of the penalty points and fixed charge systems from April 2006, and, the establishment of the Garda Traffic Corps. The Corps, provides the basis for the achievement of the significant gains in road safety that emanate from consistent high levels of traffic law enforcement. Other major proposals identified, such as the plans to establish a system of private sector operation of speed cameras under the auspices of the Gardaí, are well advanced.

The Road Traffic Act 2006 has been enacted and a number of key measures commenced. These include the provision to combat drink driving through enabling roadside Mandatory Alcohol Testing (MAT) and a ban on the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving.

Since the commencement of MAT checkpoints by the Gardaí the number of road deaths and collisions have fallen. The number of deaths in August 2006 was 17, the lowest number for any month since November 1999 comparing to 24 in August 2005 and 35 in 2004. This downward trend has continued into September 2006 with 22 deaths as compared to 31 for September 2005, and on into October 2006 with 31 deaths compared to 44 deaths in 2005.

We are making progress across the wide range of initiatives identified in the current Strategy, which is now coming to an end, and I am satisfied that all of the agencies involved are fully committed to the achievement of the goals that underpin the Strategy. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is working on developing a new road safety strategy for the period beyond 2007 and went out to public consultation on this last month. Proposals can be e-mailed to strategy@rsa.ie.

The RSA recently submitted to me, a range of proposals, to further augment road safety initiatives with a particular focus on licensing reform, and, on targeting drivers between 17 and 24 years old. I equally share the concern of the RSA Board about the high risk factors of death and serious injury to this particular category of drivers and I will be considering these proposals in the coming weeks.

I also recently met with the Chief Executive Officer of the RSA and asked that the Authority come back to me as soon as possible with a structured approach to a complete transition, with time lines, from the current regime of provisional licences to a regime of learner permits and restricted category drivers and related learner/driver formation arrangements. I know that such a complete transition will take some time, but I genuinely feel that there is great potential for saving young lives in this approach. I intend to meet the RSA Board in the coming weeks to discuss these and related matters.