Tipperary Road Safety ‘Close the Gap’

The Government’s fourth Road Safety Strategy was launched today at the Road Transport Safety Conference on Serious Injuries.

The strategy entitled, ‘Closing the Gap‘ will run until 2020 with its targeted aim to make Ireland one of the safest countries in terms of road deaths in the EU. This strategy will also focus on new measures to reduce the numbers and severity of serious injuries which arise annually, due to road accidents here in Tipperary and indeed nationwide.

This new Strategy now sets a specific target up to 2020, aimed to reduce the number of road deaths to 124 a year, from 162 last year and serious injuries to 330 per year, latter from 485 in 2012. This drop is now necessary to ‘close the gap,’ between Ireland and other best performing countries such as the UK, Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. The RSA will be responsible for the overall implementation of this Strategy and will report to Government annually.

Ireland outperformed the EU average in reducing road fatalities by 12% in 2012.

Key Road Safety Measures To Be Introduced

• The consideration of rehabilitative/driving awareness courses for repeat offenders.
• Extending the safety camera network to offences other than speeding.
• Measures to combat car clocking.
• Employers will be encouraged to implement a handbrake lock for phone use by professional drivers.
• In-vehicle devices which sense tiredness will be encouraged.
• Regular audits of road markings, safety black-spots and signage will be recommended.
• Fixed charge notices for cyclists will be considered.
• The RSA will have more frequent access to PULSE garda data, in order to spot trends.
• At least five new Service Areas on motorways will be erected to combat tiredness.

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy is available to view or download from www.rsa.ie