Donegal has a disproportionate rate of road deaths when compared with the rest of the country, according to figures released today by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
Despite having only 3.5 per cent of the population, road deaths in Donegal make up 6 per cent of all fatal accidents in the State.
A report from the RSA and the Garda shows that 307 road users died in Donegal between 1996 and 2009. A further 1,184 were seriously injured in the same period.
Over 40 per cent of deaths involve what the RSA calls “inappropriate speed”, and that of those, more than 78 per cent happened on weekends.
Close to a third of casualties were males aged between 17 and 24, and almost the same number were not wearing seatbelts.
The RSA released the report at the launch of a new campaign designed to improve road safety in local communities. Donegal was chosen as the first location on a tour of several counties because of its poor record, having been identified as the most “at-risk” county, according to an RSA spokeswoman.
While Donegal has a very high rate of serious accidents relative to population size, the RSA said there were several factors involved in the decision to launch the programme there, including the existence of the Donegal rally. The 2011 rally is due to begin next Friday.
A spokesman also said that while drink-driving is strongly discouraged nationally, the RSA’s research found “that these attitudes were not as strong in counties like Donegal.”
Reports will be completed for other counties in the high-risk category, with Cork coming next, followed by Dublin.
Assistant Commissioner John Twomey said gardaí were targeting locations in Donegal where people have died in speed-related crashes. “However we would much prefer it if everyone voluntarily made the decision to slow down and save a life,” he said.
RSA chief executive Noel Brett said Donegal had “paid a heavy price on its roads” over the years. “To achieve real change we must start by making a personal decision to be a safer road user. Then, as a community, we must take a stand against unsafe behaviour on Donegal roads,” he said.
Road safety deaths nationally have decreased so far in 2011, down to 77 in the first 5 months of 2011 from 88 in the same period last year.