Excess and inappropriate speed is a very important factor in road collisions.
As part of our on going commitment to reducing the number of fatalities on Irish roads, An Garda Siochana outlines operation -Go Cúramach.
Excess and inappropriate speed is a very important factor in road collisions and it can rightly be stated that "speed" is at the core of the road safety problem.
Very strong relationships have been established between speed and both crash risk and crash severity. It follows from the risk associated with speed that a reduction in driving speeds will make an important contribution to reducing the number of road traffic deaths and injuries. With a view to such reduction the Garda Siochana has committed to an increase in detection of speeding offences during 2008.
In addition the Road Safety Strategy 2007 to 2012 sets out the following measure at Action 25, achieve a target level of compliance with speed limits for goods vehicles and single deck buses by 2012:
• Increase articulated vehicles compliance with speed limits on urban national roads (at 50 km/h sign) from 33% to 70% or better and to increase rigid vehicles’ compliance on the same roads from 23% to 70% or better.
• Increase speed limit compliance by articulated vehicles on 2-lane national roads from 13% to 60% or better and to increase compliance of rigid vehicles from 24% to 60% or better.
• Increase rigid and articulated vehicles’ compliance with speed limits on regional roads to 95% or better.
• Increase the percentage of single deck buses complying with speed limits on 2-lane national roads to 85% or better.
Speed enforcement will be increased significantly particularly at these parts of the road network where there is a high risk propensity for speed related collisions.
We ask and advise those who may tend or be in the habit of excessive speed to moderate their driving habits.
Operation -Go Cúramach - It is in that regard that the first of six specific operations aimed at achieving a target level of compliance with speed limits for goods vehicles and single deck buses will be conducted.
This operation which will be in addition to "normal" speed enforcement and will be conducted on the 16th and 17th July ’08 and five further such operations will be conducted by end 2008.
The Survey of Free Speed 2006 conducted for the Road Safety Authority outlines that 65% of articulated vehicles, 78% of rigid vehicles and 66% of single deck buses were exceeding the 50km/h speed limit on national roads in urban areas.
Accordingly the Survey also reveals that 58% of articulated vehicles were exceeding the 80km/hr vehicle-specific speed limit on National Secondary Roads, 87% on National Primary Roads and 69% on Dual Carriageways.
Enforcement will be concentrated on the National Primary, National Secondary and Dual Carriageways where there is known to be a propensity for speed related collisions.
It is in the context of reducing the number of road traffic deaths and injuries that we appeal to motorists who tend towards excessive speed to:
· Get into the habit of adhering to speed limits.
· Leave enough time for a stress free journey through careful and considerate driving
· Ensure that your actions do not lead to the destruction of life which so many families and friends of victims endure on a daily basis.
As of the 31st May 2008 the strength of the Garda Traffic Corps was at 941 members. The strength is being further increased so as to arrive at its optimum strength by end of 2008 of 1200.
Garda Press Office
11.15hrs 15.7.08
Ref: 846/08
