A Casualty Reduction Implementation Plan will be launched in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on Saturday 1st October for 8 weeks.
Its aim is to reduce the number of Road Users killed and seriously injured, with a focus on our most vulnerable Road Users – Pedestrians, Pedal Cyclists and Motorcyclists.
To put things into perspective:-
Over a 10 year period, 1997-2007, Dublin achieved the greatest reduction in the number of road victims for 100,000 residents among the 27 capital cities of Europe. (12% annual reduction ETSC Report published 2010). In its 5th Road Safety Report, the ETSC recently highlighted the reduction in Pedestrian Road Deaths in Ireland, which was aided by the reduction in the mean speed on urban roads.
However, over the past number of years, two particular periods or hotspots in the year have been identified in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, namely April/May and October/ November.
As a result of the two earlier initiatives in October/November 2010 and April/May 2011, fatalities in the Dublin Metropolitan Region reduced significantly over the previous year. There were 32 fatalities in 2009, 19 fatalities in 2010 and to date in 2011 there have been 7 fatalities, down 6 on 2010 figures. In particular, road fatalities reduced in October/November from ten in 2009 to five in 2010, in April/May from seven in 2010 to one in 2011 as a result of these initiatives.
The Garda Analysis Service, in conjunction with input from the Forensic Collision Unit and each Garda Division, was again commissioned to carry out a review of fatal and serious injury collisions in the months of October/November over a 3 year period 2008-2010. It found a total of 52 incidents involving 17 fatal and 35 serious injury collisions during these periods.
The report identified in particular:
77% of those killed or seriously injured were vulnerable road users, Pedestrians, Pedal Cyclists and Motorcyclists (40 out of 52).
79% of incidents occurred in 50kph zones (41 out of 52)
The most prevalent collision dynamic involved a pedestrian and car at 38% (20 out of 52)
75% of incidents occurred on dry roads (39 out of 52)
The 4 Garda Districts where high levels of fatal and serious injury crashes occurred were – Finglas, Blanchardstown, Ronanstown and Tallaght.
The times of day when an increased proportion of fatal and serious injury crashes occurred were in particular:
- 1am-4am- Driver only
- 10am-1pm- Combination of driver/vulnerable road users
- 5pm-8pm- vulnerable road users
Almost half of fatal and serious injury collisions occurred over the weekend
Alcohol, speed and aggressive driver behaviour accounted for almost 25% of all collisions.
Assistant Commissioner John Twomey, Garda National Traffic Bureau, said:-
"Our Casualty Reduction Implementation Plan is a combination of High Visibility Enforcement Activity and Education to reduce the number of persons killed and seriously injured on Dublin’s roads. We have seen significant success in previous campaigns and we intend on continuing with the overall aim of reducing casualties. We are aiming this at every road user including Pedestrians, Younger/Inexperienced drivers, Cyclists and Motorcyclists. Particular enforcement activity will be around speeding, especially in 50 and 30 kph zones. Intercept speed checkpoints and PUMA Speed Detection vehicles along with Go-Safe safety cameras will be deployed to assist in achieving that aim."
Vulnerable road user will be targeted through education to include in particular, the use of safety messages on both Dublin City Council and National Roads Authority VMS signs, Dublin Bus Stop message boards, a significant Pedestrian Awareness poster campaign, use of the Mounted Unit, the BikeSafe motorcycle initiative, and a HGV pedestrian/ cyclist awareness initiative. The "It won’t happen to me" road safety programme is also available at senior secondary school level.
The four local authorities: Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council; Dublin Bus, LUAS, RSA are supporting this operation and are available to comment.
Making the Roads safer for ALL Road Users is our number one priority.
Road Safety Message:
An Garda Siochana wish to highlight the role that motorist and vulnerable road users play in Road Safety.
Pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists- increase your visibility watch out- be seen
Road use requires concentration by all.
Motorists- watch out for vulnerable road users in 50kph and 30kph zones.
The risk of cyclists and pedestrians being killed when struck by a vehicle travelling at the following speeds is as follows:-
60kph- 85% chance of being killed
50kph- 45% chance of being killed
30kph- 5% chance of being killed
Pedestrians alone are the single most vulnerable road user group in Dublin over the last 10 years, accounting for 1 in 3 fatalities (35%).
The four Local Authorities are carrying out significant programs of night time and weekend upgrade works on roads across the region. Road users are asked to take particular care around roadworks, particularly at night.
Images of today's launch are available by e-mail request from the Garda Press Office.
