Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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173. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the road safety measures that have been taken and that have impacted most positively on reducing road traffic accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39732/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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It is difficult to say exactly what measures have impacted most positively on road safety since the peak of 640 road fatalities in 1972, which reduced to 162 road fatalities in 2012, the lowest level of road fatalities to date.  In my view the road safety measures that had the most positive impact include the introduction of penalty points in 2002, drink driving and seat-belt legislation, road improvements, NCT testing of vehicles for roadworthiness, and road safety campaigns.  The improvement in road safety has been supported by a change in public attitudes to issues such as drink driving and seat-belt wearing.    

Current strategies for improving road safety are set out in the Road Safety Strategy 2013 — 2020, which contains 144 Actions to be implemented by the various agencies involved in order to build on the previous Strategies with the objective of making Ireland among the safest countries for road safety.

The Road Traffic Act 2014 provided for further Graduated Driver Licensing measures, adjustments to the penalty points system and increasing demerits for the most dangerous offences such as speeding and operating a mobile phone while driving.  The principal focus of the Road Traffic Bill 2015 will be on testing of drivers at the roadside for the presence of drugs, similar to mandatory alcohol testing which is currently in place. 

Notwithstanding the increase in road fatalities in 2013 and 2014 on the 2012 level, I am hopeful that 2015 will see us getting back on the long-term trend of reducing road fatalities, and even match those recorded in 2012.  In this regard, the number of fatalities as of yesterday was 30 less than in the same period in 2014.