Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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297. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide information on alcohol related road deaths (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7897/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The Road Safety Authority published its Report on Fatal Collisions 2008 - 2012 where alcohol was a factor in June 2016.  This report examines 867 of the 983 fatal collisions which occurred during this time specifically focusing on the role of alcohol as a contributory factor in fatal collisions.

The RSA research indicates that alcohol was a contributory factor in 38% of fatal collisions in the period 2008 - 2012.  In total, 250 drivers (222 motor vehicle and 28 motorcyclists) had consumed alcohol prior to the collision, which indicates 29% of collisions involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a record of alcohol consumption prior to the collision.  At the time of publication of this report, toxicology data was available on 198 of these drivers; a total of 174 (70%) were deemed to have been over the prevailing legal limit at the time of collision.  As a proportion of all 867 collisions analysed, 174 (20%) involved a driver over the legal limit at the the time of the collision.  A further 9% of the 867 fatal collisions were caused by a pedestrian who had consumed alcohol.

To have a confirmed presence of alcohol, there must have been at least 20mg or greater of alcohol in the blood. 10% (17) of drivers had 21-50mg, 5% (8) had 51-80mg, 5% (9) had 81-100mg, 14% (24) had 101-150mg, 17% (29) had 151-200mg, 24% (42) had 201-250mg and 25% (44) had greater than 250mg.

I would like to direct the Deputy to the Road Safety Authority's website, where the full text of the 2008-2012 Pre Crash Report is available with further detailed breakdowns. 

The message from the research is never ever drink and drive.