In some welcome news to start off the new year, it has emerged that Ireland’s roads in 2011 were the safest they have been in more than 50 years.
According to figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), 186 people were killed on Irish roads in 2011, the first time the number has fallen below 200 since records began in 1959 and the fourth year in succession a record low figure has been recorded.
The figure is down 26 from 2010, when 212 people lost their lives on Irish roads and down 52 from the year before, when 238 people were killed.
The reduction in the figures is vindication of the work being carried out by the RSA and the relevant authorities since the first ever Road Safety Strategy was introduced in 1998.
Commenting on the figures, RSA Chairman Gay Byrne 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.”
The RSA are aiming to build on the progress made so far with the introduction of further safety measures in 2012 including the introduction of penalty points for new offences and roadside drug driver testing.
RSA Chief Executive Noel Brett said of the Association’s plans for the future:
“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.”
