Road Collision Facts 2006

Victor

http://www.rsa.ie/NEWS/News/RCF_2006.html

Latest Road Collision Factbook Published
Death Rate Per Vehicle Halves in Ten Years - RSA

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has published the Road Collision Factbook 2006. It shows that over the last decade the death rate as measured against the number of vehicles on the road has more than halved. In 1996, the fatality rate per million registered vehicles was 338. By 2006, the rate had fallen to 159 per million registered vehicles.

“By examining how we are doing based on the number of vehicles on the road we get the clearest indication of whether our roads are getting safer,” explained Noel Brett, CEO, RSA. “And what this shows is that each individual road user is twice as safe now compared to ten years ago.”

The Road Collision Factbook shows that there was an 8 per cent (31) drop in road deaths in 2006 (365) compared to 2005 (396). Specifically of the 28,417 Garda-recorded motor vehicle traffic collisions that took place in 2006 a total of 365 people were killed, 907 were seriously injured and 8,575 suffered minor injuries. The remainder, 22,399 collisions, involved property or material damage only.

The estimated cost of all fatal and injury road collisions reported to, and recorded by, An Garda Síochána in 2006 was €1.33 billion .

The contributory factors to road collisions listed by members of An Garda Síochána on collision report forms has changed little compared to previous years. Driver error accounted for 88 percent of all contributory factors identified, while the next most listed factor, pedestrian error, accounted for 7 percent. Road Factors accounted for 2.5 per cent of all listed contributory factors, while the figures for vehicle and environmental factors were 0.4 and 1.9 per cent respectively.

When broken down by road user category the report shows that;

*62 per cent of all fatalities, or 226 people, in 2006 were car occupants. Most of the car drivers killed were male (74%). Twenty-five per cent of car drivers involved in fatal collisions were not using a seat belt.
*There was a 48% drop in motorcycle fatalities in 2006 compared to 2005. The 29 motorcyclist fatalities that occurred in 2006 accounted for 8 per cent of all fatalities.
*Motorcyclists were 13 times more likely than car users to be killed and 3 times more likely than pedalcyclists. Nine pedal-cyclists were killed and make up 2 per cent of all fatalities.
*A total of 73 pedestrians were killed in 2006 and accounted for one in five fatalities. Forty-three per cent of the pedestrians killed were aged 65 and over.

When examined by primary collision type the report shows that;
Nearly a third (31%) of all deaths in 2006 occurred in single vehicle collisions. Head-on collisions accounted for 28 per cent of fatal collisions. Crashes involving pedestrians accounted for 22 per cent of deaths.

Analysed by Date and Time; The worst month for fatalities in 2006 was January when 40 people died in 34 collisions. August recorded the fewest number of collisions, in which 17 persons died. The number of fatal collisions between the hours of 9.00 pm and 3.00 am, the hours most strongly associated with drinking and driving, was 82 in 2006, with 99 people being killed in these collisions. This period accounted for 27 per cent of fatalities in 2006. The worst days of the week for fatalities during 2006 were Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Together they accounted for 207 fatalities, or 57 per cent of the total. The day of the week with the fewest associated fatalities was Wednesday, when 35 people, or 10 per cent of the total, died.

Twenty seven percent of all fatal collisions in 2006 occurred on urban roads. The percentage of fatal collisions occurring on rural roads was 73. Forty four percent of all fatal collisions occurred on national roads, an increase of four percentage points on the 2005 figure.

When the level of road deaths is measured against our overall population Ireland’s rate of 86 per million in 2006, the latest year for which international comparative information is available, moves us up to twelfth out of the EU-25.

Click here to download The Road Collision Fact Book 2006

ENDS

Chris_533976

28% as head-on collisions, although its inexcusable, most of these are caused by a slow sod holding up a line of frustrated traffic on inadequate S2 roads.

That figure anyway will halve or more when the interurbans are done.

dewsbury

I don't wish to appear rude but what is the point of this thread?

Victor

dewsbury wrote: »

I don't wish to appear rude but what is the point of this thread?

Sharing information, so that we better understand accidents and can put pressure in the appropriate places.

Niall1234

These statistics didn't get much play in the national media.

Maybe its because its shows that deaths on our roads are falling. (Edit: Its almost certainly because it shows that deaths on our roads are falling)

stovelid

dewsbury wrote: »

I don't wish to appear rude but what is the point of this thread?

I've a sneaking feeling it may have something to do with the forum being called Commuting and Transport.

Have a look at the top of the page.

mike65

dewsbury wrote: »

I don't wish to appear rude but what is the point of this thread?

Niall1234 wrote: »

These statistics didn't get much play in the national media.

45.875% of Victors posts contain stats*. And very interesting ones too. As Niall1234 says this is the stuff that the media tends to gloss over or not report at all yet its the context in which policy decisions are made (or not depending).

Mike.

*0.12% contain nuts

AlekSmart

One of the Stats that caught my eye before the introduction of the NCT was the very low incidence of Vehicle Faults in accident causation.

Remember that in the lead up to the introduction of the NCT,various Politicians were waxing lyrical about how the test would rid Ireland of the deadly old bangers which were killin n maimin people up and down the land.....

Quite...as far as I recall the pre NCT figure for vehicle factors was 0.7 % and for Road Factors 2.4%.

2006`s stats show 0.4% and 1.9% respectively and yet the MOST resources were poured (Via the NCT Introduction) into the area which was causing LEAST problem.

Now there is something reassuringly Irish about that .....

Wishbone Ash

mike65 wrote: »

45.875% of Victors posts contain stats*.......


......*0.12% contain nuts

And what do the other 50.005% contain?

Victor

Alek, those figures are a little 1 dimensional.

A medium speed head on collision between a rusty 1975 Corolla and an SUV will be put down to human error. However, the state of the vehicles may very much be the deciding factor. I wonder if it has been convenient in the past to only blame the human and not give an expanded explanation.

But note: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55091646#post55091646

AlekSmart

Agreed Victor,however once again we do not see any real clarity of purpose in these matters.
It`s interesting to note that we had to engage a top-flight consultancy to deliver a series of recommendations which read suspiciously like a description of the Vehicle Testing Regeime in the UK.

Mssrs PWC appear to place great stead on ROADSIDE CHECKS (Gasp :eek:) in addition to a single monitoring agency to oversee the whole schemozzle.

The Uk Vehicle Inspectorate,latterly VoSA and their rather anti-celtic methodology of handing out on the spot prohibition notices and fines is well known to generations of Irish Road Hauliers,many of which I feel would have advised the Government at a fraction of PWC`s fee`s.....

meanmachine3

Chris_533976 wrote: »

28% as head-on collisions, although its inexcusable, most of these are caused by a slow sod holding up a line of frustrated traffic on inadequate S2 roads.

you mean someone sticking to the speed limit holding all the other sods up.
the limits that are set out are the max not the minimum. most of the time i find myself either being tailgated or overtaken when doing 50 in a 50 zone, plus the overtaking is taking place on a continous white line.

Niall1234

meanmachine3 wrote: »

you mean someone sticking to the speed limit holding all the other sods up.
the limits that are set out are the max not the minimum. most of the time i find myself either being tailgated or overtaken when doing 50 in a 50 zone, plus the overtaking is taking place on a continous white line.

Err no. I've seen people doing 80 on 100 kph National Routes, with very little chance to overtake.

You then have the tools who like to drive slowly, but then like to drag race you when you attempt to overtake them.

And just to point out to people holding up lines of traffic on 80kph roads when doing 80kph. I think then that this just shows that the speed limit of this road is wrong. The old Cork to Fermoy road anyone ?

E92

Niall1234 wrote: »

Err no. I've seen people doing 80 on 100 kph National Routes, with very little chance to overtake.

You then have the tools who like to drive slowly, but then like to drag race you when you attempt to overtake them.

And just to point out to people holding up lines of traffic on 80kph roads when doing 80kph. I think then that this just shows that the speed limit of this road is wrong. The old Cork to Fermoy road anyone ?

The problem is we have people who do 70 km/h on National Roads and the speed up when they see a 50 km/h sign. This drives me absolutely mad. I want to travel at the speed limit, not below it(and above it if road conditions allow e.g. the safest roads in the country i.e. Motorways).

One thing I've noticed in recent times is how dangerous travelling at 50 km/h in city centres has become. It's not because of how dangerous 50 km/h actually is(it's exceedingly slow as we all know), it's because nobody seems to have heard of pedestrian crossings as well as the fact that indicating does not give you the right to do anything which 99.9 of people are oblivious to(especially bus drivers):mad:.

And I completely agree about ex National Roads having their speed limit downgraded too.

Hotblack Desiato

AlekSmart wrote: »

One of the Stats that caught my eye before the introduction of the NCT was the very low incidence of Vehicle Faults in accident causation.

An EU directive required us to introduce the NCT, so the stats here don't matter.

Remember that in the lead up to the introduction of the NCT,various Politicians were waxing lyrical about how the test would rid Ireland of the deadly old bangers which were killin n maimin people up and down the land.....

No doubt it has done, to some extent. We really need to sort out our driver testing and training though...

Niall1234

E92. Have to agree on Bus drivers.

While CIE Busses have the right of way when pulling out of bus stops, normal busses obviously do not. Yet the drivers seem to think they have and that giving the indicator means they can pull out no matter what.

Similarily, CIE drivers think that indicator on means they don't even have to see if there is space to pull out. Walking to work the other morning I saw a Bus driver lose the rag cause a guy didn't slow down to leave him out.

E92

Niall1234 wrote: »

E92. Have to agree on Bus drivers.

While CIE Busses have the right of way when pulling out of bus stops, normal busses obviously do not. Yet the drivers seem to think they have and that giving the indicator means they can pull out no matter what.

Similarily, CIE drivers think that indicator on means they don't even have to see if there is space to pull out. Walking to work the other morning I saw a Bus driver lose the rag cause a guy didn't slow down to leave him out.

I don't mean when they are pulling out of a bus stop. If you're ever in town or even driving in town you will see them(especially on Washington Street, they're great for doing it there) say if they are supposed to be in the middle lane and the left lane is empty, what they will do is barge up along the left lane and then at the very end where the turn off is, they will put on the indicators and just go ahead. I REALLY hate that, what do they think the rest of us fools were doing stuck in traffic for:mad:? And then when you don't let them in the start going faster and start edging in so you have no choice but to let them in after them going berserk and hooting a LOUD horn for ages.

Victor

On topic please.

Niall1234

Sorry about that Victor.

12th out of 25 to my mind isn't bad considering the inherent dangers of Irish roads.

- Mainly rural population using more country roads on average in comparison to every other country in Europe.
- Many learner drivers driving around on their own
- Very poorly engineered roads in comparison to other EU countries

orbital83

E92 wrote: »

The problem is we have people who do 70 km/h on National Roads and the speed up when they see a 50 km/h sign. This drives me absolutely mad. I want to travel at the speed limit, not below it(and above it if road conditions allow e.g. the safest roads in the country i.e. Motorways).

Indeed. These people are incredibly frustrating.
Of course, by the time you've caught up with them and are in a position to overtake, you've inevitably hit a village with a 50km/h speed limit, and they keep bombing along at 75, blissfully unaware of the limit.
So your options are either to speed through the village to keep up with them, or lose your chance to overtake, and get stuck behind them again 2 miles up the road.

Irish roads and drivers almost seem to be designed to create frustration.

I am also of the opinion that the 80km/h restriction on lorries causes more danger than it removes. Lorries should be allowed to travel at 100km/h on national primary routes. Otherwise, everyone in a car is forced to overtake the lorry. Hence head-on collisions.

Of course most lorries don't seem to have the speed limiter active, but every time I see a Tesco lorry I groan with despair, knowing I'm again going to have to make the most dangerous maneouvre you can perform on the road.

And just to point out to people holding up lines of traffic on 80kph roads when doing 80kph. I think then that this just shows that the speed limit of this road is wrong. The old Cork to Fermoy road anyone ?

R148 Kinnegad - Enfield is another one. Previously had a 100km/h speed limit, but reduced to 80 when the toll road opened. I travel this road every day, at 80km/h exactly, and must be overtaken at least 30 times over a 20 mile stretch. Almost no-one abides by the ridiculously low speed limit.
I usually end up having to pull into the hard shoulder to let other people past, or otherwise endure them sitting on my rear bumper for mile after mile.

But the speed limit has been reduced... the road must be safer... Gay Byrne says so, it must be true. He has passed his driving test, hasn't he?

serfboard

John J wrote: »

Indeed. These people are incredibly frustrating.
Of course, by the time you've caught up with them and are in a position to overtake, you've inevitably hit a village with a 50km/h speed limit, and they keep bombing along at 75, blissfully unaware of the limit.
So your options are either to speed through the village to keep up with them, or lose your chance to overtake, and get stuck behind them again 2 miles up the road.

Spot on - I've had exactly the same experience(s)