Road Deaths Fall Below 200 for the First Time

ADIDriving

An unedited report from the RSA

Road Deaths Fall Below 200 for the First Time
Record Drop in Road Deaths for 6th Consecutive Year

Provisional road casualty figures for 2011 published today, Sunday 1st January 2011, show that road deaths have fallen below 200 for the first time since road deaths have been recorded in 1959. Deaths have also fallen for their sixth consecutive year and this is the fourth year in a row where deaths have been a record low.
A total of 186 people tragically lost their lives on the road in 2011. Our thoughts and prayers are with the devastated families, friends and communities.
This is26 fewer fatalities compared to 212 deaths last year and52 fewer deaths compared to 2009 when 238 people lost their lives on the roads.
Since the Road Safety Strategy 2007 to 2012 was introduced in 2007 road deaths have dropped by 50%. When compared to the year before the introduction of the first ever road safety strategy in 1998, deaths have fallen by 59%.
Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said motorists should be proud of their achievement. “Safer motorists mean safer roads. People are alive today as a direct result of better driver behaviour. However, we must ensure that this good work continues, and I would ask all drivers to keep up the good work. For its part, the Government has made road safety a key priority. In the year gone by we have rolled out new drink driving levels and other significant measures. We will continue to launch new road safety measures in the years ahead including the new plastic drivers’ licence, enhanced commercial vehicle roadworthiness testing, and the publication of legislation to provide for preliminary impairment testing of drug drivers at the roadside. We will also make preparations for new penalty points.”
Commenting on the release of the provisional figures Mr. Gay Byrne, Chairman, Road Safety Authority said, “Thank you. By changing the way you use the road you have saved more lives this year, 26 to be exact. Indeed in the past decade over a thousand lives have been saved the equivalent of the population of the town of Kilkee, Co. Clare, real people, real lives saved.”
Mr. Byrne added, “However, one death is one too many and for the 186 families who lost a loved one on the road this year my words of praise ring hollow. Out of respect to those who have died and those who have been left grieving I would ask that you all please use the roads in 2012 with greater care. Life is fragile, it’s held by the thinnest of threads and it only takes a split second for that lifeline to be severed. We run a real risk of complacency and I call on all Government Departments and Agencies to work collaboratively and proactively to ensure that we do not see a worsening in Ireland’s road safety performance in 2012. Now more that ever, we require action, leadership and sustained effort. To do otherwise will lead to needless loss of life, horrific life altering injuries and unimaginable devastation for families, communities and friends”.
Welcoming the record reduction in road fatalities, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter TD, said: "I very much welcome the record reduction in road traffic fatalities in 2011. Enormous progress has been made in making our roads safer. Having said that, every road death is a tragedy, and the Government is committed to building on the progress made. In 2012 the Garda Síochána will continue their focus on enforcement of road traffic legislation, which has contributed so much to the improvements we are seeing. Together with the other authorities, and with the cooperation of road users, the Garda Síochána will work towards making our roads safer and maintaining the excellent progress that has been made in saving lives and reducing injury."
Reflecting on 2011 and looking forward to 2012 Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey the head of the Garda National Traffic Bureau firstly extended his sympathies to the families of all those who lost their lives on our roads in recent years. He stated that the very positive improvement in the behaviour of road users has along with other key factors led to less people losing their lives each year. Commissioner Twomey thanked all members of An Garda Síochána in particular the members of the Garda Traffic Corps for their dedication, often in difficult circumstances. The Commissioner also expressed his gratitude to members of the community for their support and commitment to making Irish roads safer by adjusting behaviour and showing greater respect to others.
The commitment of An Garda Síochána to enforcement and education will continue and we will use our positive working relationships with other agencies including the Road Safety Authority to ensure that a focused and harmonised approach will lead again in 2012 to improvements in road safety and the quality of everyone’s experience on our roads.
RSA Chief Executive, Mr. Noel Brett, also paid tribute to the work of the Gardai and Emergency Services, “It is important, as we come to the end of another year, that we acknowledge and thank those on the front line in tackling the aftermath of all too many collisions. The Gardai, Ambulance and Paramedic crews, Fire ServicesPersonnel, Nurses, Doctors and Carers who are responsible for ensuring we stay safe on the roads and for caring for those who have been affected by road trauma”.
“Undoubtedly, the real praise must go to individual the road users. Thanks to you and your choice to make the right decisions, not to drink or take drugs and drive, to slow down, to wear seatbelts, to wear high visibility jackets while out walking or cycling, our communities have become safer places.”
“The Government Road Safety Strategy (2007-2012) has 126 actions grouped under the three “E’s” of Education, Enforcement and Engineering. Action under each of these areas has contributed to Ireland’s success but most importantly it has been the way in which the majority of road users have taken road safety to heart that has saved so many lives.”
Looking to 2012 Mr Brett said that the priority for the Road Safety Authority will be to begin work on the development of a new Road Safety Strategy. The current Road Safety Strategy comes to an end in 2012. We will increase the focus on reducing the number and severity of injuries and try to sustain the reductions in deaths achieved over the last six years. In that task we need the public’s help and support. Please make road safety top of your New Year’s resolutions. There is absolutely no reason why Ireland cannot be the very safest country in the EU.

Philipandson

its a step in the right direction, but still lots of work to do, 1 death on roads is a death to much

ADIDriving

Continued:
Road deaths dropped by 14% in 2011 compared to 2010. A provisional breakdown of thefatality figures shows;

Table 1 Road Deaths by Road User Category 2011 Compared to 2010

Road User
No. Fatalities 2011
%
No. Fatalities 2010
%
Difference

Pedestrian
45
24%
44
21%
+1

Driver
82
44%
91
43%
-9

Passenger
33
18%
55
26%
-22

Motorcyclist
17
9%
17
8%
-

Cyclist
9
5%
5
2%
+4

Total
186
100%
212
100%
-26



Some of the key provisional statistics for 2011 include;
· 34% of road deaths were under 25 years of age.
· 49% of road deaths occurred at the weekend.
· There was a significant reduction in the number of road deaths occurring on Sundays. 35 people lost their lives on a Sunday in 2011 compared to 54 deaths in 2010
· The hours between 4pm and 6pm were the most dangerous, with 29 deaths (16%)
· The average monthly fatality rate in 2011 was 15 compared to 18 in 2010 and 20 in 2009.
· The safest month of the year was April when 9 deaths occurred. This is also the safety month ever recorded.
· 131 or 70% of those killed on the roads were male.






Table 2. Road Deaths in Ireland 1959 to 2011

Year
No. Road Deaths

1959
306

1960
302

1961
332

1962
339

1963
335

1964
341

1965
356

1966
382

1967
416

1968
447

1969
462

1970
540

1971
576

1972
640

1973
592

1974
594

1975
586

1976
525

1977
583

1978
628

1979
614

1980
564

1981
572

1982
533

1983
535

1984
465

1985
410

1986
387

1987
462

1988
463

1989
460

1990
478

1991
445

1992
415

1993
431

1994
404

1995
437

1996
453

1997
472

1998
458

1999
413

2000
415

2001
411

2002
376

2003
335

2004
374

2005
396

2006
365

2007
338

2008
279

2009
238

2010
212

2011
186

Total
22,901

challengemaster

ADIDriving wrote: »

Some of the key provisional statistics for 2011 include;
· 34% of road deaths were under 25 years of age.

Pointless statistic unless you give a breakdown of what form of road user / death it was, causation and circumstances, and all other relevant data.

Also, on the flip side - 2/3 road deaths were over 25.

· 49% of road deaths occurred at the weekend.

Indicating people drive more during the weekend when they have free time to do so? Shocking altogether.

· There was a significant reduction in the number of road deaths occurring on Sundays. 35 people lost their lives on a Sunday in 2011 compared to 54 deaths in 2010

I'm actually in disbelief that this can be counted as an actual statistic...

· 131 or 70% of those killed on the roads were male.

Another pointless statistic unless there's a breakdown of what type of road user they were, the circumstances, and taking into account that on average more males drive than women, and do more driving.

Otherwise it's just another baseless twisted statistic to "support" the RSA in it's sexist campaigns.

Table 2. Road Deaths in Ireland 1959 to 2011

Year
No. Road Deaths

1959
306

1960
302

1961
332

1962
339

1963
335

1964
341

1965
356

1966
382

1967
416

1968
447

1969
462

1970
540

1971
576

1972
640

1973
592

1974
594

1975
586

1976
525

1977
583

1978
628

1979
614

1980
564

1981
572

1982
533

1983
535

1984
465

1985
410

1986
387

1987
462

1988
463

1989
460

1990
478

1991
445

1992
415

1993
431

1994
404

1995
437

1996
453

1997
472

1998
458

1999
413

2000
415

2001
411

2002
376

2003
335

2004
374

2005
396

2006
365

2007
338

2008
279

2009
238

2010
212

2011
186

Total
22,901

So... from 1978 road deaths have been continually falling almost year on year... yet the RSA and it's most recent advert seems to be of the opinion that they're responsible for the decrease in road deaths :rolleyes:

tsoparno

Another factor that MIGHT be affecting these stats is the number of people who aren't driving anymore, because of: emigration or can't afford it because of lack of work. I think this could be a big factor in the decreasing number, as this number has seen significant decreases from 2006 onwards. Coinciding with the end of that famous celtic tiger era. The people who have emigrated, were people who were willing workers and therefore the most likely to be driving.