FF/PD record on road deaths far better than Rainbow's

[freedomlover]

Yes, its true. Here are the figures on road deaths in Ireland each year since 1994.

1994 404
1995 437
1996 453
1997 472
1998 458
1999 413
2000 415
2001 411
2002 376
2003 335
2004 374
2005 396
2006 368

figures from the Garda web site

So, road deaths rose from 404 to 472 when the Rainbow coalition was in power but have fallen from 472 to 368 since the FF/PD goverment came to power. So, far in 2007 they are down another 15 per cent on 2006. Road deaths rose each year the Rainbow coalition was in power but have fallen in 7 of 10 years since the FF/PD government came to power. If the Rainbow government gets back in, don't venture out on the roads until the next election.

[Pidge]

That's a fairly weak argument.

You can't objectively say that one group's record is better than another without compensating for a variety of things.

For example, you haven't compensated for any changes in the drinking culture, the number of drivers, the number of drinkers, the safety standards of cars, the NCT, or how long it takes for an anti-drink driving message to get through.

To make your point, you'd have to show some sort of causal link between FG being in government and an increase in road deaths.

Personally, I'm inclined to think that it's part of a general downward trend in road deaths, which probably would have happened if FF or FG were in government with whoever.

[White Horse]

Can you also show the number of cars on the road in these years?

You might to surprised at the outcome when you put the number of deaths in context of car usage.

[FakeViking]

I think it's a fair post. The PD/FF govt have managed some success on the road deaths front.

But I think the incoming govt should take a much more aggressive attitude towards drug and drink and tired driving than the populists have done.

Our road death target should be 0, not 350!

[Celbridger]

Folks, that's the sound of the bottom of the barrel being scraped.

Don't worry, the loud irritating sound will stop when you don't give a preference to the Cowboy Outfit looking for another five years of screwing you up the ass on Thursday week.

[Pidge]

The PD/FF govt have managed some success on the road deaths front.

I'm not doubting that, but the issue is whether that FG/Anyone would have done a better or worse job in the same circumstances. Since the circumstances aren't the same, we can't judge.

[CJH]

I don't like seeing political points being scored on these issues. Same as with suicide

[SPN]

Our road death target is 250. If we can get to that level we will be doing well.

In order to get to that level we need to apply the 4Es.

- Education. 95% of people on Irish roads have no basic comprehension of basic driving skills. Observation, Anticipation, Hazard Awareness, Vehicle Control, Etc. The simplest way to address this is to bring in an Advanced Driving Licence which will confer some benefits on the holders (such as reduced Insurance Premiums) and to make it more desirable to hold this licence over a period of time.

- Engineering. Our road surfaces are cheap and cheerful, and are among the worst in Europe. Our signage is appalling and our roadmarkings inconsistent. It is only in the last two years that the NRA have agreed to allow central medians on motorways. If we only sought to address these few issues we could drop the death rate by at least 50.

- Enforcement. When the Authorities talk about "speed" they are not only referring to exceeding the arbitrary posted limit. Most accidents are as a result of inappropriate speed (aka unsafe speed), which, of course, includes exceeding the posted limit. Lots of people exceed the posted limit without driving at an unsafe speed, especially on roads with speed limits that are set too low for bureaucratic reasons. The enforcement of these limits is a great way of raising revenue, and of improving Garda stats. It is not an effective way of enforcing good behaviour on the roads though. The sooner the Gardai start enforcing ALL the Road Traffic Acts, not just the easy ones, the sooner people will get the message.

- Evaluation. Historically the Authorities have not performed proper evaluations of the causes of accidents. This has changed in the last year - as you will note when you hear about roads being closed for half a day after a major accident - and a small team of Gardai have been fully trained in doing these evaluations. Noel Brett and the RSA are doing a brilliant job on overhauling this area and we should see meaningful stats in the not too distant future.


With the sole exceptions of setting up the RSA and introducing random breath tests, the current Government has a very mixed record on Road Safety. They did not provide the appropriate resources to support their Road Safety Strategies for nearly a decade, even if they have done amazing work in the last 12 months.

Whoever comes into power in June, the RSA is now in place, and Noel Brett is a formidable CEO. The Gardai have now been given long needed basic resources and training - the new unmarked BMW pursuit cars are having amazing results by all accounts, and the accident scene officers are trained to the highest level in the world.

Whatever happened in the past - like traffic corps officers sitting in barracks for weeks because there was no money to replace damaged/broken down pursuit cars - the new structures are now in place, the resources allocated, and Uncle Gaybo ready to blow the whistle if someone tries to row back.


Freedomlover is just following on with the same nonsense we have been hearing from the Green Zone all week - "however bad we are, the other lot will be worse".

This is a stupid argument, both on this topic and on each of the other topics they have tried to spin it.

Grow up!

[HanleyS]

Our road death target is 250. If we can get to that level we will be doing well.

In order to get to that level we need to apply the 4Es.

- Education. 95% of people on Irish roads have no basic comprehension of basic driving skills. Observation, Anticipation, Hazard Awareness, Vehicle Control, Etc. The simplest way to address this is to bring in an Advanced Driving Licence which will confer some benefits on the holders (such as reduced Insurance Premiums) and to make it more desirable to hold this licence over a period of time.

- Engineering. Our road surfaces are cheap and cheerful, and are among the worst in Europe. Our signage is appalling and our roadmarkings inconsistent. It is only in the last two years that the NRA have agreed to allow central medians on motorways. If we only sought to address these few issues we could drop the death rate by at least 50.

- Enforcement. When the Authorities talk about "speed" they are not only referring to exceeding the arbitrary posted limit. Most accidents are as a result of inappropriate speed (aka unsafe speed), which, of course, includes exceeding the posted limit. Lots of people exceed the posted limit without driving at an unsafe speed, especially on roads with speed limits that are set too low for bureaucratic reasons. The enforcement of these limits is a great way of raising revenue, and of improving Garda stats. It is not an effective way of enforcing good behaviour on the roads though. The sooner the Gardai start enforcing ALL the Road Traffic Acts, not just the easy ones, the sooner people will get the message.

- Evaluation. Historically the Authorities have not performed proper evaluations of the causes of accidents. This has changed in the last year - as you will note when you hear about roads being closed for half a day after a major accident - and a small team of Gardai have been fully trained in doing these evaluations. Noel Brett and the RSA are doing a brilliant job on overhauling this area and we should see meaningful stats in the not too distant future.


With the sole exceptions of setting up the RSA and introducing random breath tests, the current Government has a very mixed record on Road Safety. They did not provide the appropriate resources to support their Road Safety Strategies for nearly a decade, even if they have done amazing work in the last 12 months.

Whoever comes into power in June, the RSA is now in place, and Noel Brett is a formidable CEO. The Gardai have now been given long needed basic resources and training - the new unmarked BMW pursuit cars are having amazing results by all accounts, and the accident scene officers are trained to the highest level in the world.

Whatever happened in the past - like traffic corps officers sitting in barracks for weeks because there was no money to replace damaged/broken down pursuit cars - the new structures are now in place, the resources allocated, and Uncle Gaybo ready to blow the whistle if someone tries to row back.


Freedomlover is just following on with the same nonsense we have been hearing from the Green Zone all week - "however bad we are, the other lot will be worse".

This is a stupid argument, both on this topic and on each of the other topics they have tried to spin it.

Grow up!

That is possibly the most sense I have ever heard on the road safety issue.

[RBinge]

That's probably the worst political argument I've ever heard anywhere, and is grossly insulting to victims of road deaths. What exactly do you mean? Vote other than FF and PD and you will die?

Are you on medication, or do you work for the Sunday Independent?