Penalty points, if not the safety risks, got more of us obeying speed limits and wearing seatbelts, says the NRA report on driver behaviour. Patrick Logue analyses it.
Last year was a good year for road safety. Penalty points for speeding were well established, motorists were generally driving in fear of being caught, and road death figures were well down on previous years as a result.
The latest survey of driver behaviour, carried out by the National Roads Authority (NRA), confirms what we had suspected, that the penalty points system had been initially successful in changing the way we drive for the better.
The report, Free speeds (Urban and Rural) and Seatbelt Wearing Rates, 2003, shows a driving population increasingly adhering to speed limits and, more often than not, belting up when behind the wheel, presumably in fear of penalty points and monetary fines. That was then, however, and this is now.
With the gloss well and truly worn off the penalty points system, Seamus Brennan's successor in the Department of Transport, Mr Martin Cullen, has a fight on his hands to reverse an apparent backward trend in 2004. This year has seen 324 road deaths so far, an increase of 30 on last year and only 12 short of the 2003 total - and a more prevalent "I'll never get caught" attitude among drivers.
Today's figures from the NRA on 2003 serve as a reminder to Mr Cullen of how well a penalty points system can work if backed by adequate enforcement, awareness, and a willingness by individual drivers to stay within the law.
The figures show some remarkable changes in driving habits but also point to room for improvement among some road users. In urban areas, particularly, the message on speeding seems to have been heard by motorists in 2003. Only 36 per cent of car drivers broke the limit in residential streets, compared to 61 per cent in 2002. In fact motorists clocked up an average speed of only 28 mph in these areas, down 5 mph on 2002.
On main roads in urban areas, or urban arterial roads as they are called, drivers also slowed down. In 2002, which was penalty point-free until November, 99 per cent of cars broke the 30 mph speed limit on urban arterial roads. Last year this figure dropped to 86 per cent. While it is still a large number of cars breaking the limit, it seems the message to slow down did sink in to a large degree.
In rural areas a similar pattern emerges. On motorways, car drivers drove on average 4 mph below the legal 70 mph limit and only 23 per cent broke that limit. On dual carriageways 29 per cent of car drivers broke the 60 mph limit, representing a significant fall from 43 per cent in 2002.
On smaller country roads - scene of many late night, single vehicle accidents - drivers were also seen slowing down. Only 14 per cent of cars broke the limit on national secondary routes, a drop of two points and on regional roads 8 per cent did so, also a drop of 2 per cent.
These figures must be put in context, however, as on some of these roads it's actually impossible to drive safely at the 60 mph limit. Driver behaviour after the reduction of certain rural speed limits will make more interesting reading.
One of the most worrying findings of the survey is the apparent disregard of speed limits by truck drivers.
Even with the threat of penalty points, truckers were reported to be largely breaking the 50 mph limit set down specifically for them.
Some 85 per cent of articulated trucks, and 83 per cent of rigid trucks broke the limit on motorways, representing an increase of 3 per cent and 1 per cent respectively. Sixty per cent of "artics" and 55 per cent of rigid trucks broke the limit on dual carriageways, compared to only 29 per cent of car drivers. On national primary roads, more than 70 per cent of truckers broke the limit, compared to just 30 per cent of cars.
European legislation due to come into effect in the New Year, if enforced properly, will begin to deal with this problem.
From January, all new goods vehicles of 3.5 tonnes or more will by law have to have a speed limiter fitted, with the device set so that the speed of the truck can not exceed 90 kph (56 mph). Vehicles registered before January 2005 will be required to have limiters by January 1st, 2007.
Seatbelt wearing rates increased among drivers, from 71 per cent in 2002 to 85 per cent last year. The NRA says the increased rate is substantially due to the introduction of penalty points for belt offences on August 25th, 2003 while some of the surveys were still being carried out. More good news for the penalty points system - the figures show a system having its desired effect.
The message, however, did not filter through to the back seat, where only approximately 46 per cent of adults belted up.
The perception still seemingly exists that you are safer in the back of a car and therefore do not need to wear a belt. Without a seatbelt, however, three out of four people will be killed or seriously injured in a 30-mph head-on crash.
Parents should take note of this fact. A driver is legally responsible for ensuring everybody under the age of 17 has their belt on and can receive penalty points for allowing a minor travel unrestrained.
Even still the NRA study highlights low wearing rates among children. The survey found 68 per cent of primary school pupils travelling in the front seat wore their seatbelts, and only 48 per cent wore them in the back. Among secondary school students 62 per cent wore belts in the front, while only 44 per cent wore them in the back.
While motorists continue to be ignorant of the dangers of speeding and and dangers not wearing seatbelts, strict enforcement, or even instilling the fear of enforcement of the traffic laws is necessary to cut road deaths. Last year is testimony to this.