FIGURES released yesterday for people killed in road traffic accidents in the first six months of the year are a "cause for concern according to the National Safety Council. There were 27 more deaths in road traffic accidents in the first six months of the year than in the same period in 1995.
In the six months to the end of June, 198 people died, according to the Garda Press Office; 4,875 were injured.
In June, 39 people were killed, an increase of seven over June of last year. 832 people were injured, compared to 780 last year.
The major causes of road death and injury are speed and alcohol consumption, says Mr Gavin Freeman, publicity officer with the National Safety Council, and they are probably equal in seriousness.
"We have changed the climate of opinion in relation to drinking and driving, but we still have some road to go to change behaviour," be said.
Following an increase of 34 in the number of people killed last year as against 1994, an increase which went against the general trend, an investigation was ordered by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin.
This study attributed the rise to the hot summer, which led to a higher than usual number of drink related deaths, as well as more use of the roads, especially by motorcyclists.
The increase in road deaths was also linked to the rise in economic.
There was an increased activity in the amount of road use by private and commercial vehicles.
The findings led to the National Safety Council to launch an anti drinking and driving campaign this summer. This is usually done in the run up to Christmas.
Mr Conor Faughnan, public affairs manager with the Automobile Association, said the figures for the first half of 1995 were quite good. "Then we had a long hot summer and it seemed, to go out the window altogether.
A spokesman for the National Roads Authority, Mr Cyril Connolly, said the figures could fluctuate from year to year, but this did not mean any "real variation". There was a general downward trend.
The Fianna Fail environment spokesman, Mr Noel Dempsey, accused Mr Howlin of failing to take action over the "rising toll of road deaths. The Minister's platitudes will be cold comfort to the families of the victims", he added.
