The introduction of a mandate from the Garda Commissioner requiring every uniformed Garda officer to commit half an hour of their shift to road safety policing has been applauded by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). The mandatory obligation was introduced with immediate effect by Mr. Harris on Thursday, a move which some within the force labelled ‘odd’, expressing concerns that it might only serve to upgrade road policing data.
The order has been issued in a year where road fatality statistics are roughly 25% higher than at the equivalent point in 2023, a year which saw a significant spike in road deaths. As of this Friday, a tally of 63 individuals have lost their lives on the roads since the year began, marking an increase of 15 compared to the same time frame in the previous year.
Liz O’Donnell, the chairperson of RSA, profusely praised the response to her plea for more Garda personnel to be allocated immediately to increase road safety. She stressed that “enforcement is where the solution lies” and affirmed that “this will elevate the presence of Garda on our roads and discourage dangerous drivers. This move has the potential to save lives”.
Upcoming on Monday, Ms. O’Donnell has scheduled meetings with the Taoiseach Simon Harris, the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, and Jack Chambers, the Minister of State for road safety. They would deliberate on issues such as the enforcement of traffic regulations and the need for a higher Garda presence.
A Garda source, however, voiced their apprehension towards the directive, labeling it as ‘strange’ and suggesting it might only lead to additional red tape and enhancement of policing figures without making a significant impact. The move was seen as an act of “desperation” and left several within the force questioning whether it was merely a publicity gambit.
Duncan Smith TD, the Labour transport spokesperson, stated that the directive embodies a “significant crisis concerning the allocation of resources for roads policing” while questioning “the practicality of allocating 30 minutes per shift and the level of coordination achievable”.
A statement from An Garda Síochána clarified they refuse to respond to comments from third parties or unidentified sources not involved in the creation of initiatives. According to them, their projects are grounded in comprehensive global research and best global practices. They have reportedly adopted their policing strategy from the Swedish road safety strategy, which is regarded as having halved the number of road deaths in Sweden since 2000.
Key principles of this initiative, the statement elaborates, are derived from the American ‘Cooper Curve’, which illustrates that a stationary police officer’s presence in a location for a 15 minute period can effectively enhance crime prevention for a subsequent four to six hours. From adapting this model for road policing in Sweden, studies have demonstrated that the conspicuous presence of law enforcement officials measurably impacts driver behaviour, reduces speed, and critically assists in lowering serious or fatal road traffic incidents.
The introduction of this is part of a suite of actions that An Garda Síochána is implementing as part of the government’s Road Safety Strategy, expanding on the Garda statement.
However, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) expressed that the allocation of resources is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. They highlighted that the challenge he faces is combating the rise in road deaths with limited resources as best as possible due to the issue of limited resources, essentially caused by a recruitment and retention crisis that the Government has not tackled despite multiple warnings.
Contrary to this, Susan Gray, from the Parc road safety group, gave a warm welcome to this announcement but cautioned that it might be inadequate to completely address the issue. She noted that the latest government data shows 627 Gardaí involved in road policing, but there have been additional cutbacks since then and more are anticipated to leave this department in the forthcoming months. She insists that the Government and Garda HQ should address this pressing issue immediately and effectively.