The introduction of penalty points for speeding had changed driver behaviour, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, said yesterday.
Mr Brennan was commenting on the reduction in road deaths last year. Describing them as "significant and historic", he added that it was his intention that it would mark a watershed in road safety in Ireland.
"The application of penalty points for speeding from October 31st last has been dramatic and has assisted significantly in a clear change in driver behaviour and a subsequent reduction in deaths and serious injury on the roads," he added.
"The reduction in deaths is a welcome development. However, any comment on the reduced deaths must be tempered with regret and sadness that the number of people losing their lives on our roads remains unacceptably high and a continuing cause of serious concern."
Provisional Garda figures show that 379 people lost their lives in road accidents last year. This compares with 411 deaths in 2001, and is the lowest recorded since 1965, when 356 people died.
Mr Brennan said that last year saw the completion of the first integrated road safety strategy ever applied in the State. The strategy, which covered the period from 1998 to 2002, had set the very challenging target of reducing numbers of deaths and injuries on the roads by 20 per cent.
"It is a measure of how far we have advanced in terms of road safety that road deaths and injuries have dropped to such an extent that the overall target of a 20 per cent reduction in road deaths was almost achieved, while the number of injuries fell by significantly more than the chosen target," he added. "The last year in itself has witnessed a remarkable reduction in deaths and I intend that this will mark a watershed in road safety in this country."
The first fatality of the new year occurred in Waterville, Co Kerry, early yesterday, when a motorcyclist was killed in a collision. He was named as Mr Joseph O'Sullivan, who was in his 60s and lived locally.