Road fatalities at record low for fifth consecutive year

Iwannahurl

From the Irish Times, December 31st:

Strategy to target road injuries as deaths down

Reducing injuries as well as fatalities is to be a major focus of a new, seven-year road safety strategy.

As of yesterday, there were 161 fatalities from road crashes in 2012, 25 fewer than in 2011.

...

Ireland is ranked sixth-highest in terms of road safety in the European Union, based on numbers of fatalities by population. The ranking is expected to improve this year and the Road Safety Authority has said it is seriously looking at the prospect of positioning Ireland as number one in coming years.

In the coming weeks, the seven-year road safety strategy, with its emphasis on specific reductions in the numbers of serious injuries, is to be brought to Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar. The safety authority is hoping he will propose it for approval at Cabinet and that the strategy will come into force early next year.

The seven-year time frame is designed to fit in with an EU strategy that will offer over-arching co-ordination across member states and progress moves towards more common standards and trans-border penalties for errant drivers.

About 440 people suffer serious injuries each year, many of them to the spine or brain. The safety authority has pointed out that since 1996 almost 20,000 people have received such injuries on the State’s roads leaving many people incapable of independent living, and some requiring care in an institution for the rest of their lives.

It is estimated that for every death on the roads, there are at least eight serious injuries that require lifelong support and attention.

Some other media reports on the subject:

Road deaths fall to a record low
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/road-deaths-fall-to-a-record-low-3339927.html

RSA figures show 161 people died on the roads in 2012
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0101/road-safety-authority-deaths.html

2012 sets new record for fewest road deaths in Ireland
http://www.thejournal.ie/2012-new-record-road-deaths-736865-Jan2013/

Our roads are fourth safest in Europe, but we want the top spot
http://www.herald.ie/news/our-roads-are-fourth-safest-in-europe-but-we-want-the-top-spot-3339643.html

ottostreet

Easy enough when we're losing a couple of thousand people who are looking for work and thus not driving much, every single day!

skyhighflyer

And also considering the number of young males who've emigrated, the general increase in vehicle safety, the motorways.

The RSA really needs to learn the difference between correlation and causation, the decrease in fatalities isn't down to Uncle Gaybo or their sexist ad
campeigns.

Mr Benevolent

What about serious injury stats?

bijapos

It's down to a lot of things:

- safer cars, even a 10 year old car that would be cheap enough to buy usually has multiple airbags, good crumple zones and excellent crash protection. If you have an accident in a 2002 model car you've generally a hell of a better chance of surviving the same accident than in a 1990 car.

- Cars have better suspensions, brakes, things like better lights, ABS, ESP etc to prevent accidents in the first place.

- NCT coming in in 2000 got a lot of sh1te cars off the road.

- drink driving is now a social taboo instead of a sign of manliness.

- better roads in general, more motorways, more bypasses that have alleviated a lot of "black spots" and interaction between pedestrians and cars.

- the actual fact that we have 14% unemployment keeps a lot of people off the road, along with this we are working shorter hours nearer to home so fatigue based accidents are probably down IMO. I know a few people who survived accidents after falling asleep coming back fro ma long day/week.

- not sure how much the cameras have helped, crazy driving still exists everywhere from my experience. I've wouldn't be surprised if Gaybo decides that they are the sole reason.

monkeypants

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Reducing injuries as well as fatalities is to be a major focus of a new, seven-year road safety strategy.

Very ambitious, especially if they hope to get another seven years out of Gaybo.

paddydriver

There is a lot of cynicism from us all on this... Maybe people have just chilled out the last few years and are not looking to get everywhere in such a hurry!

That said, some of the driving coming up to Christmas was unreal.. people would drive over you in order to get to the shops for little johnnies presents.

dahamsta

Don't forget kids, speeding kills.

Iwannahurl

bijapos wrote: »

It's down to a lot of things:

- safer cars, even a 10 year old car that would be cheap enough to buy usually has multiple airbags, good crumple zones and excellent crash protection. If you have an accident in a 2002 model car you've generally a hell of a better chance of surviving the same accident than in a 1990 car.

- Cars have better suspensions, brakes, things like better lights, ABS, ESP etc to prevent accidents in the first place.

- NCT coming in in 2000 got a lot of sh1te cars off the road.

- drink driving is now a social taboo instead of a sign of manliness.

- better roads in general, more motorways, more bypasses that have alleviated a lot of "black spots" and interaction between pedestrians and cars.

- the actual fact that we have 14% unemployment keeps a lot of people off the road, along with this we are working shorter hours nearer to home so fatigue based accidents are probably down IMO. I know a few people who survived accidents after falling asleep coming back fro ma long day/week.

- not sure how much the cameras have helped, crazy driving still exists everywhere from my experience. I've wouldn't be surprised if Gaybo decides that they are the sole reason.

Safer roads and vehicles have made a significant difference over the years/decades, as has a post-recession reduction in traffic levels.

Driving driving legislation and enforcement are also important factors.

Speed cameras are bound to have made a positive difference too, though Gaybo doesn't mention it in this report at least: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/number-of-road-accidents-fall-in-2012-but-three-people-a-week-killed-last-year-3340038.html

Iwannahurl

skyhighflyer wrote: »

And also considering the number of young males who've emigrated, the general increase in vehicle safety, the motorways.

How does gender and emigration make a difference?

padd b1975

skyhighflyer wrote: »

And also considering the number of young males who've emigrated, the general increase in vehicle safety, the motorways.

The RSA really needs to learn the difference between correlation and causation, the decrease in fatalities isn't down to Uncle Gaybo or their sexist ad
campeigns.

Ahem.:)

BrianD3

A new record low for Northern Ireland too - 47 killed to 28/12/12. I think there was one more since then.

The worst year for NI was 1972 when 372 were killed. When records began in 1931 there were 114 killed.
http://www.psni.police.uk/index/updates/updates_statistics/updates_road_traffic_statistics.htm

Table tsdtr420 at the below link shows figures for Europe from 1991 to 2008
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/transport/data/main_tables#

Figures for the United States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year

bladespin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

How does gender and emigration make a difference?

Statistics etc, young male drivers etc etc, a big number that would fit into the persecution bracket are upping sticks therefore aren't on the roads here.

carzony

bijapos wrote: »

- the actual fact that we have 14% unemployment keeps a lot of people off the road,

I'd think this is the biggest reason fatalities are down, I'm a young driver and a lot of my mates have given up driving and the ones that have a car only seem to drive once or twice a week. I do a lot of driving myself and you can see that there's not many people driving anymore:(

ironclaw

Fewer cars on the road is a major factor in my eys. A friend of mine has the best example of it. He started in UCD in 2007, and when the country went bust in mid-2008 the traffic just kept dropping in the Clonskeagh / Sandyford area. His travel time dropped drastically from UCD to Wicklow and is continuing to drop. My same commute, granted it started after the major downturn, has year on year got shorter at peak times i.e. 4 - 6pm. I used have to wait past 6 to avoid traffic, I can now leave at any time and get home in much the same time.

Same applies to the route I jog near a busy industrial area. There used be queues of cars leaving at each junction. Its now a trickle at best. I've also noticed in late evenings that the link road is nearly dead, far fewer cars.

You can make a statistic say anything you want but traffic management and flow is one of the most complex problems on the planet today. There are supercomputers dedicated to the modelling of it, and its still only an approximation. By the same token we will never know as you would need to compare to a similar country unaffected by recession or any major populous shift in the last number of years. Ireland is so unique in climate and demographic I doubt you'll find one.

Colonel Sanders

bladespin wrote: »

Statistics etc, young male drivers etc etc, a big number that would fit into the persecution bracket are upping sticks therefore aren't on the roads here.

Yeah it's often been a case in companies I've worked for that sales people latch onto a decrease in claim frequencies wanting to cut rates but the decrease is as expected due to the fact the mix of business has changed year on year

road_high

carzony wrote: »

I'd think this is the biggest reason fatalities are down, I'm a young driver and a lot of my mates have given up driving and the ones that have a car only seem to drive once or twice a week. I do a lot of driving myself and you can see that there's not many people driving anymore:(

Yes and petrol prices have been at record levels the past year especially so that's bound to have an impact on traffic.
But, I remember in the 80s/90s traffice beeing far less busy and road deaths were way above current levels.
Combintion of safer cars, better roads (remember the old N1, N3, N4, N6, N7, N8, N9, N11 etc all had major poor stretches with high accident rates), far less drink driving, NCT on cars. Younger drivers are far better educated and better road manners/awareness. It's the older generation I absolutely dread now on the roads. Lane ignorance, holding up traffic, lack of courtesy. I dunno about others but it's invariably driver sin their 50s plus.

Gmol

N11 still has the ballinamedsa bends which has one of the highest rates of accidents still.

dahamsta

I find traffic odd, I travel the N25, Cork city and surrounds quite a bit and while traffic certainly looked down to me early last year, it seems to have gotten worse in recent months. The west side conversion to N40 is partly to blame, but I don't think it's the only factor.

Chris_Heilong

I would say it will be on the 6.1 News today

Iwannahurl

skyhighflyer wrote: »

And also considering the number of young males who've emigrated, the general increase in vehicle safety, the motorways.

The RSA really needs to learn the difference between correlation and causation, the decrease in fatalities isn't down to Uncle Gaybo or their sexist ad
campeigns.

mfitzy wrote: »

Younger drivers are far better educated and better road manners/awareness. It's the older generation I absolutely dread now on the roads. Lane ignorance, holding up traffic, lack of courtesy. I dunno about others but it's invariably driver sin their 50s plus.

carzony wrote: »

I'm a young driver and a lot of my mates have given up driving and the ones that have a car only seem to drive once or twice a week.

bladespin wrote: »

Statistics etc, young male drivers etc etc, a big number that would fit into the persecution bracket are upping sticks therefore aren't on the roads here.

I reckon -- or I hope anyway -- that the young males are leaving for work experience, the chance to earn a few bob and for a bit of fun and adventure, rather than because they're victims of "persecution". Even if they're economic refugees, they're still young, relatively free and mostly single -- nothing wrong with that profile at all, even if the Irish economy is still in the toilet.

Why would the emigration of young males make a difference in terms of road deaths, though?

bladespin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I reckon -- or I hope anyway -- that the young males are leaving for work experience, the chance to earn a few bob and for a bit of fun and adventure, rather than because they're victims of "persecution". Even if they're economic refugees, they're still young, relatively free and mostly single -- nothing wrong with that profile at all, even if the Irish economy is still in the toilet.

Why would the emigration of young males make a difference in terms of road deaths, though?

Well seeing as statistically they are most likely to be involved in serious/fatal accidents I imagine it would have quite a noticible effect.

I described them as persecuted in insurance terms, at least before last month.

Poulgorm

It would be interesting to see the stats on the number of people killed in single car accidents. Accidents in which the driver was the only occupant.

Some of these may not be accidents at all. But there is no way of knowing for sure, of course.

Sofiztikated

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I reckon -- or I hope anyway -- that the young males are leaving for work experience, the chance to earn a few bob and for a bit of fun and adventure, rather than because they're victims of "persecution". Even if they're economic refugees, they're still young, relatively free and mostly single -- nothing wrong with that profile at all, even if the Irish economy is still in the toilet.

Why would the emigration of young males make a difference in terms of road deaths, though?

Less of them hooning about the roads, late at night?

road_high

The improvement in roads is the biggest factor as I'm concerned.
Remember major crashes like this http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2007/0615/ireland/fatal-truck-pile-up-triggers-traffic-chaos-35166.html and http://www.independent.ie/national-news/three-generations-die-in-crash-189617.html
used to be all too common on the old N routes between the cities. Still woefully inadequate ones like the N24, 17, 18 especially but some of the worst stretches are bypassed now. The N8 between Abbeyleix and Portlaoise stands out in my mind as being particularly bad. There are thankfully far less multiple fatal collisions now of the severity of above.

opinion guy

Honestly I think the improved signs and traffic calming measures coming into towns/dangerous junctions etc make a big difference to how people drive.

Iwannahurl

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Less of them hooning about the roads, late at night?

I only know the word "hoon" because I spent some time in Oz early in 2012.

Damien360

mfitzy wrote: »

The N8 between Abbeyleix and Portlaoise stands out in my mind as being particularly bad. There are thankfully far less multiple fatal collisions now of the severity of above.

That had 2 very bad crashes resulting in deaths 2 years in a row on the same weekends after the festival.

I used to dread the Kildare to Cork run when it was just the N8. Stretches of this were lethal for very dangerous overtaking. The motorway has changed all this.

The main road to Mayo and Sligo need to be addressed. Sligo has got a good dual carriageway with no way to cross over to on-coming traffic for a bit and more of this may be of use so it is part of the way to sorting out a problem.

Once you get past mullingar for the Mayo road, it does not improve until Ballaghadreen (spelling I know). Even then, you can get jammed behind a slow driver and the crowd behind get very frustrated and start the dangerous overtakes.

Dual carriageways minimum for safety on major routes and motorways if feasible on traffic volume.

Sofiztikated

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I only know the word "hoon" because I spent some time in Oz early in 2012.

I watched Neighbours when I was a kid.

I don't actually know why I used that term. I don't think I've ever used it before.

RedorDead

dahamsta wrote: »

Don't forget kids, speeding kills.

<Smug Jeremy Clarkson Tone> No it doesnt, its the sudden stop. <Smug Jeremy Clarkson Tone>

Top Dog

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Why would the emigration of young males make a difference in terms of road deaths, though?

Because blokes are normally more interested in cars, more likely to want a car, and more likely to do all they can to have a car at a young age.

Using my own family as an example - I got my first car at 18 years of age. My 3 sisters were 21, 24 & 23 respectively before they bought their first cars - and they only bought them out of necessity rather than desire.

Boskowski

bijapos wrote: »

It's down to a lot of things:

- safer cars, even a 10 year old car that would be cheap enough to buy usually has multiple airbags, good crumple zones and excellent crash protection. If you have an accident in a 2002 model car you've generally a hell of a better chance of surviving the same accident than in a 1990 car.

- Cars have better suspensions, brakes, things like better lights, ABS, ESP etc to prevent accidents in the first place.

- NCT coming in in 2000 got a lot of sh1te cars off the road.

- drink driving is now a social taboo instead of a sign of manliness.

- better roads in general, more motorways, more bypasses that have alleviated a lot of "black spots" and interaction between pedestrians and cars.

- the actual fact that we have 14% unemployment keeps a lot of people off the road, along with this we are working shorter hours nearer to home so fatigue based accidents are probably down IMO. I know a few people who survived accidents after falling asleep coming back fro ma long day/week.

- not sure how much the cameras have helped, crazy driving still exists everywhere from my experience. I've wouldn't be surprised if Gaybo decides that they are the sole reason.

All this and of course the recession/fuel cost.

Where I live people have slowed down considerably over the last number of years. I think the reasons are recession/fuel cost and the changed speed limits plus the cameras.
People used to drive constantly over or at the speed limit and now they're crawling at 20 km/h below the limit.

People get petrol for twenties, tenners and even fivers these days. People don't have the money to be wasteful with their petrol and an €80 speeding fine would blow a serious hole into lot of people's budget.

repsol

I think the recession combined with higher fuel has reduced road deaths.People don't "go out for a drive" like they used to,they only drive if they have somewhere to go to.I have also noticed a lot of the boy racers in my area have had to flog their cars.Those that still have a car don't drive as fast or as frequently as they used to.

Traumadoc

Gmol wrote: »

N11 still has the ballinamedsa bends which has one of the highest rates of accidents still.

When was the last fatality?

September1

I'm sure that it has nothing to do with fact that Ireland has as much motorways per capita as Germany

doolox

I would say that the motorways have contributed most to the reduction in road deaths because it virtually eliminates head ons which were very common on the single lane National primary routes in the old days.

A second factor would have to be the extreme reluctance of the under 40's to take a chance with drink driving, although drugs and fatigue seem to be a problem with many crashes.

The government need to improve junction design at a lot of our secondary roads and continue improvements and alignments. The scandalous state of the roads of county Meath stand out in my mind. Roads connecting Enfield to Trim and onto Navan are severely bad, it is easier to go to Dublin for people of South Meath than to go to their county town.

Outside of the main trunk route to the Northeast the roads of Monaghan and Cavan also stand out as being bad.

Iwannahurl

September1 wrote: »

I'm sure that it has nothing to do with fact that Ireland has as much motorways per capita as Germany

doolox wrote: »

I would say that the motorways have contributed most to the reduction in road deaths .

Germany achieved a 9.5% reduction in road deaths 2007-2008. Between 2000-2008 the reduction was 6.3%, while the decrease 1990-2000 was 3.8%.

The equivalent figures for Ireland were a 17.5% decrease 2007-2008, 4.8% decrease 2000-2008 and 1.4% decrease 1990-2000.

Did the drop in fatalities follow the construction of motorways in both countries?

seamus

Emigration or unemployment would have very little to do with this. The absolute number of people using a car to commute to work has dropped by only 4% in the period 2006-2011, whereas overall fatalities reduced by 37% in the same period.

Reduced mileage and increased costs probably has some part to play, it would seem logical, however I'm not entirely convinced that has happened. The number of college students driving to college jumped by 63% from 2006 to 2011. This suggests that far from young people abandoning cars due to cost, they're doing the exact opposite, and far more young people are driving now than in 2006.

But of course people may be leaving the car at home for non-commuting journeys, which would mean less time on the road, therefore less accidents - particularly if people are spending more time drinking and eating at home rather than in pubs and restaurants, as is suggested by those industries.

My suspicion is that it's primarily down to improved road safety attitudes, particularly in relation to drink-driving. Even die-hard drink-drivers like my uncle who in the past would have had no compunction drinking whatever he wanted before driving 100km home, restricts himself now in fear of being caught. Socially and legally the same tolerance just doesn't exist for it any more, and given that 57% of accidents in 2003 cited alcohol as a factor, reductions in drink-driving levels will lead to significant improvements in road safety.

Next on the chopping block I think must be pedestrian safety. There are a few ads starting up about it now, but you're never going to stop someone from walking to the pub just because they have to walk home again. It's not the same issue as drink-driving.
That campaign will also need to focus on drivers' behaviour at specific times, to make them aware that peds are more likely at those to do something ridiculously stupid and to drive with appropriate caution. Just because the roads are clear of vehicular traffic, doesn't suddenly make 80km/h down the quays safe.

Iwannahurl

I suppose the truth is that over the years many different factors have had a role to play, and I think the role of improved legislation, enforcement and social attitudes should not be downplayed.

With regard to your suggestion that pedestrians are prone to doing things that are "ridiculously stupid" at certain times, perhaps the stupidest thing they're doing is having too much to drink.

There's an RSA ad running currently which states that two-thirds of pedestrians killed on the roads had been drinking.

I was startled by that figure, as it's nearly twice the level of alcohol involvement stated in the National Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (38%).





EDIT: The 38% figure above refers to alcohol as a factor in fatal pedestrian crashes, and may include motorists' drink-driving.

seamus

Iwannahurl wrote: »

With regard to your suggestion that pedestrians are prone to doing things that are "ridiculously stupid" at certain times, perhaps the stupidest thing they're doing is having too much to drink.

No doubt. But I'd be skeptical that a "don't drink too much or you could be knocked down" campaign (as is currently running) will do much to reduce people's drinking. Drink-driving is tackled by enouraging people to simply not drive if they're planning on drinking (and vice-versa).
The problem with pedestrians is that they are going to drink, so after four pints it's much harder to say "I've had enough because I have to walk home".

There are other more practical things which can be done such as improving street lighting, providing segregated footpaths or tax subsidies for pubs which provide transport to patrons.

gurramok

Was it in 2003 that the penalty points was introduced? Road deaths started to reduce then but steadily climbed as motorists knew it wasn't enforced. Then in the last few years we've had enforcement of penalty points and drink driving which together along with better roads\cars has helped reduce collisions.

Also, remember when the explanation for high insurance costs was the high road death rate, why haven't insurance costs for us declined since road deaths have declined by more than half? Still too many people getting injured instead of dying??

ironclaw

gurramok wrote: »

why haven't insurance costs for us declined since road deaths have declined by more than half? Still too many people getting injured instead of dying??

Because we live in a monopoly for insurance companies and we happily pay through the nose like lemmings A small island nation with no major competition. Also that male-female equality thing was the worst ruling to ever happen, haven't heard of anyone's premium going down as a result. Only the female side went up as it was basically justified greed.

bladespin

ironclaw wrote: »

Because we live in a monopoly for insurance companies and we happily pay through the nose like lemmings A small island nation with no major competition. Also that male-female equality thing was the worst ruling to ever happen, haven't heard of anyone's premium going down as a result. Only the female side went up as it was basically justified greed.

Might also have something to do with the cost of cars/parts/compensation not declining either.

The equality rule should have happened years ago (not necessarily agreeing with it though) as it's illegal to discriminate between the sexes and has been for years, age will be the next thing IMO.