MINISTER FOR Transport Noel Dempsey was urged not to be complacent as the Government received a joint award in Brussels for its efforts to reduce road fatalities.
The European Transport Safety Council said the road safety award to Ireland was in recognition of the fact that the number of road deaths was cut by half in the past nine years, to 54 per million people in 2009 from 107 in 2001. The other recipient was Estonia.
The European body is an independent, non-profit organisation which brings national safety associations together.
Ireland had the seventh lowest number of road fatalities per million people in the EU last year, it said. Sweden and Britain had the lowest number of deaths per million people – 39 and 41 respectively – while Romania and Greece had the highest fatalities per million – 130 and 129 respectively.
Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the safety council, said, however, that Irish authorities should not be complacent. Speed cameras and lower alcohol limits would enable Ireland to improve safety, he said.
Mr Dempsey attributed the reduction in road fatalities to improvements in driver behaviour, increased legal enforcement by the Garda, the penalty points regime, improved road design, hard-hitting ad campaigns and mandatory alcohol testing.
“There was a time when everybody felt it was okay to have a few pints and drive home,” he said.
“Speeding remains a major factor in road deaths and serious injuries in Ireland . . . We want to reduce needless deaths, serious injuries and suffering on families across Ireland.”
The Minister, who said speed cameras will be introduced in October, expects legislation to reduce the blood alcohol limit to finish its passage through the Dáil this week.
The legislation cuts the limit for learner, novice and professional drivers to 20mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood from 80mg and cuts the limit for other drivers to 50mg per 100ml from 80mg.
With passage through the Seanad awaited, the new regime will commence next year after preparatory work and training.
He acknowledged political resistance in some quarters, but was confident he would succeed in ensuring the legislation was enacted.
Mr Dempsey said “absolutely not” when asked if the Government’s armoury would be complete when the alcohol limit was cut and speed cameras are introduced.
He said there was a need for “graduated driving licences”, a system in which motorists earn full driving privileges in stages.
There was also a requirement for further increases in enforcement, new education programmes and engineering works to improve road safety.