Carnage On Irish Roads. What Can Be Done?

gimmick

I doubt it is only me who gets quite upset watching the news on a daily basis, to see and hear of more lives being lost needlessly on the roads. Yesterday alone was it 7 deaths. Families throughout the country are in unbelievable horror today, 2 especially who lost 2 kids each.

Now Im not going to preach and say what should be done, but I am certainly going to give an opinion as to what I think could be done, and perhaps it will help. Road deaths will never be wiped out completely, but surely something must be done.

Firstly, anyone who has not applied for the their driving test as of , say, 1st september, should have to do a drivers ed programme similar to that in the US. We are not being thought how to drive as it is, and how reversing around a corner in a housing estate in a test stes one up for the real world I will never know.

Provisional drivers should not be allowed drive on their own under any circumstances.

A 1st provisional license should not be issued to someone unless they actually drive ie many use their driving license as ID when 18, dont drive. They then start driving at 21, and are already on 2nd provisional, where it is ok to drive on your own.

Motor bikes have graded levels at which you can drive. The same should apply for cars. If i were in charge i would make sure that if you do not have a full licence, you CANNOT drive a car ober 1.1cc. Also, if you are under 21, full license or not, you cannot drive a car over 1.1cc. 21-25 not allowed over 1.6cc and must have a full license. 25+ you can drive whatever as long as you are fully licensed. I realsie then not everyone will be able to drive their folks car when they are 18, but sorry, screw them. Too many of these accidents are happening in cars which people cannot handle, powerful engines which a learner cannot handle.

Now i know the non drivers and learner drivers will be up in arms about this, and say thats all well and good for those with full licenses already. Perhaps its unonstitutional, Ill leave that to the legal eagles among us. Fact is, that a line has to be drawn somewhere, revise, and start again. It is for the good of us all. I would even endorse that fully licensed drivers have to do some sort of test on renewal on their licenses every 5-10 years whatever it is.

Thoughts?

HelterSkelter

I agree with you about the driver education and provisional licence, spot on.

However I don't think having a graded system for driving cars is going to help the situation. As far as I can see most young or inexperienced drivers who are involved in accidents are already driving small cars. The insurance cost for an inexperienced or young driver puts high powered cars out of the question for most. There is also another argument that driving a low powered car is actually more dangerous. With a 1L micra it is going to take more time to overtake resulting in you being stuck on the wrong side of the road for a longer time. I drive a 1.6L car now and it is much safer overtaking than in my old 1.1L Punto.

gimmick

HelterSkelter wrote:

With a 1L micra it is going to take more time to overtake resulting in you being stuck on the wrong side of the road for a longer time.

All due respect, but everyone should know that if it isnt safe to overtake, do not overtake. No matter what you are driving.

zuma

Sweet god, cant we copy the US and have Driver Education at school.

A portion of Car Insurance payments should be reserved for the training.

Also more testers by breaking the monopoly which they have no intention of giving away!!!

Ardent

In the case of the one recent crash, the local feeling is that the accident occurred because the crossroads sign was covered over with muck or grass. The family were not from the area and possibly didn't realise they were going through a crossroads until it was too late.

The roads in rural Ireland are a death trap.

my little pony

"Provisional drivers should not be allowed drive on their own under any circumstances."

You can't generalise it like that its unfair, I'm sure when you were a learner driver you were glad of the fact you could drive alone!!!!
Look at all the people that were killed on the road in the past few months, the most were people without L plates so I agree that maybe the government needs to take a look at introducing a system whereby people should have to take a refreshers course/ test every 5 years. Learner drivers are being used as an excuse for the carnage on the roads but its all careless drivers that contribute to it.

gimmick

ARDENT wrote:

The roads in rural Ireland are a death trap.

Tahts a very valid point actually. I live more or less City Centre, but there is one set of tarffic lights near me which are blocked by a pylon, and a few others which are covered COMPLETELY by overhanging hedges!

My Little Pony wrote:

You can't generalise it like that its unfair, I'm sure when you were a learner driver you were glad of the fact you could drive alone!!!!

Thats why I said a line needs to be drawn somewhere, and start again. The point I was trying to make above, reading back perhaps i could have been clearer, is just because you can reverse around a bloody corner in an estate in a test, does not make you ready for real driving ie driving a 60 miles an hour in a dual carriageway, and some moron cutting across you, leaving you with feck all time to do anything/much about it.

stevejazzx

Ardent wrote:

The roads in rural Ireland are a death trap.

I drove the back roads around waterford once at night....:eek:
unbelievable

youthacademy

Ardent wrote:

In the case of the one recent crash, the local feeling is that the accident occurred because the crossroads sign was covered over with muck or grass. The family were not from the area and possibly didn't realise they were going through a crossroads until it was too late.

The roads in rural Ireland are a death trap.

i have to agree with you there ardent, also when your doing your test its in a built up, well signposted etc area. no-one tells you how to negotiate a road with no signposts, bends on the road that work on a "suprise" system, thats after the potholes, large farm machinery takeing up 3/4's of the raod, cattle etc. its ludarcris the state of our rural roads

b3t4

Gimmick, where is it stated that the people who were involved in the recent accidents were learner drivers?

Thanks,
A.

daymobrew

Ardent wrote:

In the case of the one recent crash, the local feeling is that the accident occurred because the crossroads sign was covered over with muck or grass.

Did any of the locals contact the county council/local authority to get it cleaned? The CC/LA will probably not know about such issues, but will often be quite helpful when informed.
Yesterday morning I phoned Dublin City Council about broken glass (from a smashed car window) on the road and footpath. They cleaned it up later in the day.

Alternately someone could give it a clean themselves. Slightly different, but I've gotten the wrench out to re-erect signs in my estate that have fallen off the pole or twisted the wrong way around in the wind.

gimmick

b3t4 wrote:

Gimmick, where is it stated that the people who were involved in the recent accidents were learner drivers?

Thanks,
A.

So rather than being constructive you are picking holes? If you are happy with the current system, well and good. If you actually read my posts above, you will see my points.

HelterSkelter

gimmick wrote:

All due respect, but everyone should know that if it isnt safe to overtake, do not overtake. No matter what you are driving.

That is true. But even when it appears safe to overtake you can never tell what other drivers will do e.g. someone comes out from a side road on the opposite side without checking for traffic. So the longer you are on the wrong side of the road the higher chance something will go wrong.

masterK

2 words "Better Roads"

I'm sick to death listening to the government preaching to us about how it is our driving habits that is solely to blame. Of course this is part of the issue but the biggest factor to me is the disgraceful quality of roads across rural Ireland.

The fact that such a small percentage of the fatalities occur in the major cities highlights this fact.

HelterSkelter

my little pony wrote:

"Provisional drivers should not be allowed drive on their own under any circumstances."

You can't generalise it like that its unfair, I'm sure when you were a learner driver you were glad of the fact you could drive alone!!!!

That law is there for a reason. I think once the driving test backlog is cleared (if ever!) then all unaccompanied provisional drivers should be put off the road. No driving on your own unless you pass the test.

my little pony wrote:

Look at all the people that were killed on the road in the past few months, the most were people without L plates

How do you know that?

magpie

We need better roads, and more of them. Any other 'campaigns' started by the government (e.g. speeding) are fudging the issue.

Hardly anyone gets killed on dual carriageways or motorways regardless of speed. Why? Because you can overtake safely.

Isn't it about time the government started spending on our infrastructure? There should be constant motorway between every major town in Ireland - all N routes should be dual carriageways.

If they improved the roads casualties would drop off enormously.

EDIT/ Just read this

2 words "Better Roads"

I'm sick to death listening to the government preaching to us about how it is our driving habits that is solely to blame. Of course this is part of the issue but the biggest factor to me is the disgraceful quality of roads across rural Ireland.

The fact that such a small percentage of the fatalities occur in the major cities highlights this fact.

Exactly!

monkeyfudge

I remember reading once that a study showed that something like 90% of male drivers aged between 18 and 25 rated themselves as excellent drivers.

I think this sort of delusional perception is one of the major problems.

stevenmu

The problem isn't with the current system, it's the fact that nobody follows it. People stand around screaming and shouting at the government to do 'something' about it, then hop back in their cars and continue driving like idiots. In most cases of crashes, people are already breaking either the current laws or the rules of common sense. The system we have would work perfectly if everybody stuck to it, the problem is they don't, and there's no reason to believe that changing the system is going to make the slightest bit of difference.

Funsterdelux

I agree with the OP, about grades and what-not,
I also think/agree that the Rules of the Road should be taught in Primary School, and then basic driving skills during Sec. School.

Further more, we have to come to accept that Irish roads were never designed for todays automobiles, the werent designed at all, they were design by where the horse wanted to pull the cart, through them there hills!

More people can afford cars at younger ages, when they dont need cars, the only people who should need a vehicle under 21 is people who need it for work.

Lets also just say that there was a time when a car was needed to get from A to B, now we have little upstarts driving just for the sake of it.

I could go on and on, but I'll save yis the hassle.

What we need is a decent oil crisis.

Ardent

daymobrew wrote:

Did any of the locals contact the county council/local authority to get it cleaned? The CC/LA will probably not know about such issues, but will often be quite helpful when informed.
Yesterday morning I phoned Dublin City Council about broken glass (from a smashed car window) on the road and footpath. They cleaned it up later in the day.

I'm not sure of the full details and I don't want to speculate based on second or third hand information.

What I do know is that, where I'm originally from near Athenry, there is a crossroads where you can't see anything coming from your left until you're halfway across the road because the grass is so high in the summer. The county council only come out to cut the grass when endlessly bugged about it.

HelterSkelter

monkeyfudge wrote:

I remember reading once that a study showed that something like 90% of male drivers aged between 18 and 25 rated themselves as excellent drivers.

I think this sort of delusional perception is one of the major problems.

I think if you ask drivers of any age group you will get similar replies. Someone who thinks they are rubbish is a rare species!!

Funsterdelux

Ardent wrote:

I'm not sure of the full details and I don't want to speculate based on second or third hand information.

What I do know is that, where I'm originally from near Athenry, there is a crossroads where you can't see anything coming from your left until you're halfway across the road because the grass is so high in the summer. The county council only come out to cut the grass when endlessly bugged about it.

Thats true in most counties, reaction not proaction

FillSpectre

Can we just establish what the actual problems are first rather than suggesting changes.

First off are more provisional drivers actaully having accidents? If they aren't then they are really the problem

It appears young male driver are the biggest fatalities but how true is this?

What are the times of most accidents?

Any actual information on the subject would be good before saying what we think is the problem.

Personally I can't get over the rules of the road so easily ignore without consequences. I think strict enfocement aof all rules might instill some responsibility on people.

monkeyfudge

Funsterdelux wrote:

I agree with the OP, about grades and what-not,
I also think/agree that the Rules of the Road should be taught in Primary School, and then basic driving skills during Sec. School.

I remember going to the little driving school in Fairview when I was in primary school, it was very good... but they closed it down recently. That's progress for you.

HelterSkelter

Funsterdelux wrote:

More people can afford cars at younger ages, when they dont need cars, the only people who should need a vehicle under 21 is people who need it for work.

Maybe if you live in a city, but what about the country, you need a car to visit your friends, go to the shop, etc etc

Funsterdelux wrote:

Lets also just say that there was a time when a car was needed to get from A to B, now we have little upstarts driving just for the sake of it.

And what's wrong with that? Everyone should have the right to drive once they are trained properly

my little pony

HelterSkelter wrote:

That law is there for a reason. I think once the driving test backlog is cleared (if ever!) then all unaccompanied provisional drivers should be put off the road. No driving on your own unless you pass the test.

Well if they clear the backlog and you are guaranteed a test in 2-3 weeks like other countries then this will work and I can't see why anybody would have a problem with it but its going to take years to clear the current backlog.....

5500

gimmick wrote:

Motor bikes have graded levels at which you can drive. The same should apply for cars. If i were in charge i would make sure that if you do not have a full licence, you CANNOT drive a car ober 1.1cc. Also, if you are under 21, full license or not, you cannot drive a car over 1.1cc. 21-25 not allowed over 1.6cc and must have a full license. 25+ you can drive whatever as long as you are fully licensed. I realsie then not everyone will be able to drive their folks car when they are 18, but sorry, screw them. Too many of these accidents are happening in cars which people cannot handle, powerful engines which a learner cannot handle.

So what about the 25yr old who gets his provisonal licence,and books his test straight away,gets a letter from work and then does the test a month later and passes.He's now free to drive any car he wants but yet has only about 2 months expierence driving on the road.

If the above was the case,we may aswell impose a curfew and higher insurance on everyone outside of dublin as thats were the majority of fatal crashes seem to be happening

themonk

the responsibility is with every driver to be extra carefull!!!!!

thats the message that everyone needs to pick up from the current road safety campaign .... as stated earlier ... just dont overtake ... unless absolutely necessary .... how many time have u been stuck behind a lorry on the nation primary routes ( roads that seemed to be in good condition but are absolutely disgraceful for signage twists and turns ) .... the onus is to sit back even when theres a line of traffic building up behind you and wait until it dead clear to over take .... not to say chance it before the next bend because of that queue tailing back from me .... speed kills

Tom Dunne

Driver education is also a major factor.

Until the morons who risk life and limb in a car are stopped, the carnage will continue. I was driving between Kilcock and Clane the other day - a late teen/early 20 moron decides to overtake several cars in his souped up Micra. He barely missed a Merc turning onto the road 50 metres up. On the way back, another utterly idiotic artic driver overtakes 5, yes 5, cars and vans on the solitary straight stretch. Less than 5 seconds later, another artic comes in the opposite direction around a bend. The carnage could have been horrendous.

Triangle

Weither or not learner Drivers are causing accidents is irrelevent - they have not learnt to drive and should not be driving alone - this is dangerous.

The main problem is the thought process of people - "i'll just overtake one more car before pulling in...." , Sure one drink won't hurt (generally believed to be the older generation now), Etc

The roads are in a dire condition - i.e. Broken lines when you can barely see 100meters ahead.

And proper schooling - i think steps have been made on this though. Previously driving instructors didn't have to have any training.

HelterSkelter

themonk wrote:

...speed kills

One of the soundbite cop outs the Government feeds us and so many people just repeat like parrots without even thinking about it. It should be inappropiate speeds kills...or poor driver training kills...or bad roads kill....

HelterSkelter

tom dunne wrote:

Driver education is also a major factor.

Until the morons who risk life and limb in a car are stopped, the carnage will continue. I was driving between Kilcock and Clane the other day - a late teen/early 20 moron decides to overtake several cars in his souped up Micra. He barely missed a Merc turning onto the road 50 metres up. On the way back, another utterly idiotic artic driver overtakes 5, yes 5, cars and vans on the solitary straight stretch. Less than 5 seconds later, another artic comes in the opposite direction around a bend. The carnage could have been horrendous.

If people would report drivers like this to the Guards and follow it up if necessary it would be a good thing. I have heard stories of the Guards charging drivers like this on the basis of eyewitness statements.

If you see something like this call Trafficwatch: 1890 205 805

monkeyfudge

HelterSkelter wrote:

I think if you ask drivers of any age group you will get similar replies. Someone who thinks they are rubbish is a rare species!!

I think I over simplified the study a bit... a quick google found this, which I think is pretty much what I was talking about.

Young (18-25) and older (35-50) male drivers were compared in their perception of driving risk and confidence in driving ability. Both groups provided responses a questionnaire on accident risk and driving ability and further generated subjective ratings of risk to a series of videotaped sequences depicting various elements of driving behavior. Although young drivers' estimates of accident involvement in the next year were higher than those of older drivers, young drivers gave lower ratings of accident risk for specific driving situations which demanded fast driving reflexes or substantial vehicle-handling skills. Young drivers rated their own risk of an accident and driving abilities as being the same as for older drivers. However, they saw their peers as being significantly higher at risk and having poorer abilities than themselves. Young drivers were more confident in their driving abilities than the older drivers. Evidence is provided to suggest that perceived risk and self-perceived driving abilities are interrelated. Further, the data from young drivers showed two disturbing characteristics: first, a notable dissociation between perceived and actual ability and, second, a tendency to view themselves as immune from the effects of higher levels of risk, which they are prepared to ascribe to their peers but not to themselves.

BoozyBabe

b3t4 wrote:

Gimmick, where is it stated that the people who were involved in the recent accidents were learner drivers?

Thanks,
A.

Ah, don't be having a go at him.
He's just highlighting a VERY serious issue.

There are idiot young drivers out there on provisional licenses, there are idiot young drivers who've just got their full license who now think they're fully experienced, there are careless idiot drivers who are driving for a good while who forget they're actually driving & there are pure idiot old drivers who think cos they've been driving for SO long that they're 100% correct all the time, even when they won't dip, won't use indicators, pull out straight in front of you etc.

BUT you have to agree, whether or not they end up in an accident or not, there are a lot of young drivers who have never sat behind a wheel before, who simply get their 1st prov license, & off they go, out onto the roads on their own, when they barely know where the brakes are.

That's just wrong, & I think that's what the OP was getting at.

We all agree that something has to be done. It's a real joke in this country.

my little pony

Professional driving lessons should be compulsory.

Many people are thought by a family member/friend etc...
Alot of people only take lessons before the actual driving test and therefore all the bad habits etc have been learned and the attitude is that we only have to drive like this until the test is over...

Funsterdelux

HelterSkelter wrote:

Maybe if you live in a city, but what about the country, you need a car to visit your friends, go to the shop, etc etc


And what's wrong with that? Everyone should have the right to drive once they are trained properly

Im from the bog arse of nowhere, I understand your point, we got on well with push bikes and shanks mere, its what one is used to I suppose.

Well on the second point you made, everyone has the right to drive, they do, but I think it should come down to needs more than wants.

gimmick

Fact is, we are being taught how to pass the driving test, not how to drive.

eireal wrote:

So what about the 25yr old who gets his provisonal licence,and books his test straight away,gets a letter from work and then does the test a month later and passes.He's now free to drive any car he wants but yet has only about 2 months expierence driving on the road.

You are looking at the negative side of my suggestions rather than try and see the point I am trying to make.

youthacademy

i done hibernians "ignition" course. it could be argued that it is a bit of a money gimmick, but i genuinly found it helpful, it opens your eyes on how easy it is to have a serious/fatal accident through vidoes, examples etc.
and going on a point strongly aired here, its young male drivers are the main target. unlike the full license test, the ignition course must be renewed every 3yrs i tink..

themonk

HelterSkelter wrote:

One of the soundbite cop outs the Government feeds us and so many people just repeat like parrots without even thinking about it. It should be inappropiate speeds kills...or poor driver training kills...or bad roads kill....

no its not a copout .... u are more like to survive a crash if its at lower speed .... its statiscally imposible to avoid all crashes ... therefore any crash that occur should be with least fatality ... how SPEED KILLS ..... if a speed limiter was applied to every car or a noise to tell u were over the speed limit that irratated you .... im sure the carnage may still occur but less freqently and without as much fatalities

AdrianR

Carnage On Irish Roads. What Can Be Done?

How about enforcing the existing laws? That would do a lot to reduce the carnage. What has actually happened in the last year or two is that the lunatic driving has moved off the national roads and onto the primary roads, it isn't the roads that kill people it's the idiots who are speeding/racing on them. I have never seen a speed check point on a primary road unless it's in a 50 or 60Km zone, has anyone else?
I can imagine that Gardai resources are too tied up trying to keep public order during weekend nights to be speed checking and I reckon most of the dangerous idiots on the roads realise this.
The Gardai need to start a campaign of speed checks on primary roads as well as national roads and they need to be doing this during weekend nights, when they start catching the boy racers for speeding and dangerous driving then the carnage will be reduced.

Funsterdelux

themonk wrote:

no its not a copout .... u are more like to survive a crash if its at lower speed .... its statiscally imposible to avoid all crashes ... therefore any crash that occur should be with least fatality ... how SPEED KILLS ..... if a speed limiter was applied to every car or a noise to tell u were over the speed limit that irratated you .... im sure the carnage may still occur but less freqently and without as much fatalities

I hear that, cars are designed for 80+mph, our roads werent.

Tazz T

One of the biggest reasons there are more deaths on the roads is simply because there are more cars on the roads. The Celtic Tiger has meant more people can afford more, bigger, powerful cars.

In Ireland there's a culture that says there's something wrong with you if you don't drive. I found this surprising when returning to Dublin - people seemed amazed that someone in their 30s wasn't able to drive. My gf and I have had big fights about this and she wants me to learn.

When I lived in London, there was no need to drive - and few people seen any point. There was a more than adequate pubic transport system. So it's annoying when on TV3 this morning, they were saying it wasn't the governments fault, it was people driving badly - when that's only part of the problem. The simple fact it that the more people forced onto the roads by poor public transport will result in more accidents - and more pollution.

If you aren't in a car, you can't crash one.

Funsterdelux

Tazz T wrote:

One of the biggest reasons there are more deaths on the roads is simply because there are more cars on the roads. The Celtic Tiger has meant more people can afford more, bigger, powerful cars.

In Ireland there's a culture that says there's something wrong with you if you don't drive. I found this surprising when returning to Dublin - people seeemd amazed that someone in their 30s wasn't able to drive. My gf is always onto me to learn. Living in London, there was no need to drive, there was a more than adequate pubic transport system. So I was pretty annoyed when on TV3 this morning, they were saying it wasn't the governments fault, it was bad driving. The simple fact it that the more people forced onto the roads by poor public transport will result in more accidents - and more pollution.

If you aren't in a car, you can't crash one.

I have to agree with you too, what Ireland needs is a Ken Livingstone

FillSpectre

It is kind of funny the way people think eduction is the route forward. This would probably increase the number of people on the road. Would it not make more sense to restrict the number of people on the road? Every aspect or carcentric life is bad so why promote it further? Tax drivers by use and increase the tax rate if they speed. People are allowed freedom right now yet it is obvious theyare not acting responsibly

Funsterdelux

FillSpectre wrote:

It is kind of funny the way people think eduction is the route forward. This would probably increase the number of people on the road. Would it not make more sense to restrict the number of people on the road? Every aspect or carcentric life is bad so why promote it further? Tax drivers by use and increase the tax rate if they speed. People are allowed freedom right now yet it is obvious theyare not acting responsibly

I agree here also tax the bollox of them, roads are probably the most common publicly used areas, so they should be treated with more respect than they are at the moment, from both public and councils/gov.

Hobbes

Triangle wrote:

Weither or not learner Drivers are causing accidents is irrelevent - they have not learnt to drive and should not be driving alone - this is dangerous.

Bull****. How do you know this? Yes there are idiots on the road that don't know how to drive a car for the first time, but the majority of assholes on the road that have nearly killed me or someone else are all driving '06-'05 reg cars, or having been driving for some time.

At least the recent provisionals actually have to take an exam before they are even allowed behind the wheel of a car.

Provisionals are getting dumped on when they are not nearly part of the overall problem.

First up, quite a number of people on the road with full licenses never even sat a driving test. The government gave them an amnesty because so many were driving without a license.

Provisionals for what people are demanding you may as well sell your car if you are on a provisional, because there is no way you are going to get to use it.

Secondly provisional license holders are getting reamed in regards to insurance, and the waiting time of over a year on average for an exam insures they are crippled money wise.

If they want to lower the number of deaths.

1. Enforce all provisonal drivers to take a minimum of 10 lessons from a qualified driver instructor after passing thier theory test. Subsidise this from the government if you have to.

2. Clear the backlog. Screw the whining instructors thinking they will be hard done by, they fuking everything up for everyone. Fire them if you have to (seeing as they recently got money incentive earlier this year and still sitting on thier asses).

3. Once the backlog is clear and a driving test can be guaranteed within a month THEN ENFORCE PROVISIONAL LAWS. Take the provisionals off the streets.

4. GARDI ENFORCE ROAD RULES. In fairness now I have seen them a lot stopping people but they should be able to stop you for random breath checks, etc.

5. ZERO TOLERANCE on drink driving. The level should be lowered to a point where it is not possible to drink and drive. I don't mean 0, but a level that isn't likely to get you nabbed the following day if you are no longer drunk.

6. SLOW DOWN. Nearly all the muppets I have seen nearly killing someone have been speeding or been trying to get ahead (hard shoulder, overtaking on the left ON A ROUNDABOUT). Most of the roads have a set speed that allows you to maintain a constant speed. For example the N32. The speed limit there is 60kph, however most people just go as fast as possible (80-120) on it. Yet if you go at 60kph unless the person is using the bus lane on that road you will meet up with them at the traffic lights at then 19 times out of 20.

7. Report muppets. Use the traffic watch number if there is someone on the road that looks like they may crash.

8. Proper cameras on the motorways.

9. Have drivers retake the driving tests 5 or 10 years after the last test.

HelterSkelter

FillSpectre wrote:

It is kind of funny the way people think eduction is the route forward. This would probably increase the number of people on the road. Would it not make more sense to restrict the number of people on the road? Every aspect or carcentric life is bad so why promote it further? Tax drivers by use and increase the tax rate if they speed. People are allowed freedom right now yet it is obvious theyare not acting responsibly

I don't see how this would improve things. More people were killed in previous years when there were less people on the road.

Villain

Gay byrne after 100 days as Chairman of the National Road Safety Authority says "Nothing", that just about sums it up really, I bet he's sorry he took that position now, the government first ignored the majority of what Eddie Shaw wanted to do to make changes then appoints Gaybo as his replacment and people wonder why there is carnage on the roads, because the Gardai don't have the resources and what resources they do have are sitting in 50 zones or on motorways! But hey we elected them!

scojones

gimmick wrote:

Fact is, we are being taught how to pass the driving test, not how to drive.

Nail on the head there gimmick.

daveg

I've a couple of points. Firstly what about the group of motorists that were handed a full licence some years ago? You know the idiots on a good road doing 35 mph? With a 2 mile tailback behind them. This ignites road rage and encourages people to take risks. I know this is only a small part of the problem.

My thoughts on reducing deaths on our roads are as follows:

1/ Dissuade younger male drivers from driving at nighttime. Either by reducing the insurance premium for younger male drivers who do not drive after say 12am or increasing the premium. Preferably the first.

2/ Government should activate major spending on our roads. No more fecking excuses and no more throwing money away. With the amount of money this government have wasted our roads system could be 99% motorway systems.

3/ Major increase in Garda presence on the roads. Not shooting fish in a barrel but physical presence. We all saw how this worked when points were introduced.

4/ Revamp of the whole driving test system. Learner drivers can only drive with a qualified driver. Pre theory training. Re train all those 60 something feckin idiots on our roads driving dangerously.

Hobbes

In the UK even after you pass your test you are still required to wear R plates and not allowed on the motorway. They should do this here as well (if they get the backlog down).

That way while you passed the test everyone knows you still need some more experience on the road.