Sam Waide, CEO of the Road Safety Authority, has raised concerns regarding road fatalities on the state’s highways, stating there has been a disappointing rise in deaths. The monthly average of 15 deaths from 2023 increased to 19 deaths per month at the start of this year. Speaking to the Oireachtas transport committee on Wednesday, Mr. Waide communicated that there were 185 confirmed road deaths in 2023, marking a significant rise.
He particularly expressed worry about the soaring number of casualties among the youth demographic. According to his analysis, more young people were lost to road accidents in 2023 than in the preceding five years. The death toll included 12 children under the age of 16, and tragically, 48 teenagers and young adults ranging in age from 16 to 25.
Mr. Waide outlined the findings of the 2023 road fatality report including the following details:
– 47% of accidents happened late in the night or at the break of dawn.
– 48% occurred over the weekend.
– Almost 70% of the fatalities took place on rural roads with speed limits set at 80km/h or higher.
He also highlighted that the concerning trends detected in 2023 have unfortunately persisted into 2024. Based on preliminary data, from January 1st to April 21st, there have been 64 road deaths, which is 14 more than the same period the year before.
As Mr. Waide elucidated, road traffic accidents have already caused serious injuries to over 300 individuals in 2024. The data depicted that 25% of fatal incidents occurred between 4pm and 8pm, while 36% were late at night or in the early hours.
According to an RSA study that Mr. Waide referred to, these timeslots seem to coincide with more dangerous driving behaviours, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and driving while fatigued. He expressed his discontent by referring to these as “killer behaviours”.
The recent RSA statistics further revealed that a startling 23% of the individuals who died in road accidents neglected to wear a seat belt.
Mr Waide alluded to specific areas of concern, including speed regulation, inattentive drivers, drunk driving, and the safety of cyclists, elderly pedestrians, and e-scooter riders. These will be the central points of the RSA’s communication drive for 2024.
Among the initiatives being developed are various advertising and public awareness initiatives. The first Youth Representative Forum will take place on 29th April by the authority. The following month, it is set to kick off a campaign on e-scooter safety. Additionally, as from September, an updated school program will be brought into the transition year, according to Mr Waide.
Furthermore, Mr Waide informed that the waiting times for the National Car Test (NCT) have seen improvement, decreasing to 15 days whilst the goal was to reduce it to 12 days. The number of student drivers expecting an invite to schedule their driving exam has also significantly dropped to 60,385 from a previous 71,932 in September 2023.
Mr Waide was queried by Senator Gerry Horkan, Committee Leas-Chathaoirleach, about the key areas the committee could assist in minimising mortality and injuries on the road. Following this, Mr. Waide put forth several suggestions. He recommended that the committee get their communities and local businesses involved in promoting road safety awareness. He emphasised the support for any upcoming laws aimed at leveraging technology to deter dangerous driving habits.
Lastly, Mr Waide invited the committee’s assistance in advocating for education and enforcement related to speed limits, seatbelt usage, substance abuse prevention and elimination of distracted driving.