EU Confirms Ireland as the 6th Safest Country for Road Safety in Europe

In the first six months of 2011, 90 people lost their lives on the Irish roads according to figures from An Gárda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA). This figure, which is a 9% improvement on last year figure is one of many road safety statistics which have improved greatly since last year.

In terms of the six months in 2011 so far, April was the lowest month in road deaths ever recorded and May was extremely low given its bank holiday. Areas which are still a concern are again focused on young deaths on our roads (a third of road user deaths are between 16 and 25) and an increase in motorcyclist and cyclist deaths this year. These are areas however which the RSA are looking to improve, declaring that they will “redouble our efforts to prevent further suffering and tragedy as a result of deaths on our roads”.

Gárda Commissioner, Martin Callinan said: "Gardaí are working closely with our partner agencies to further reduce deaths and serious injury and we will continue to target our enforcement activity at areas where fatalities are more likely to occur”.

Along with a decrease in road deaths, another reason for optimism on Irish road safety is from a recent report by the European Transport Safety Council in Brussels which rated Ireland as the sixth safest country in Europe out of the 27 states. It stated that a total of 411 people were killed on Irish roads in 2001 compared with 212 in 2010, which represents a 48 per cent cut in road deaths. The study showed that only 10 other member states managed to achieve or improve on this level of reduction in road deaths.

Noel Brett, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, commented on the ETSC report by praising the Irish public for their achievements.

“Yet again road users in Ireland have shown that by taking road safety into the heart of their communities many lives can be saved and injuries prevented. Your achievement is remarkable and you have become an example to the rest of Europe and indeed the world by your responsible actions on the roads. But these achievements can be easily taken away from us if we allow ourselves to become complacent. There is still a big gap between Ireland and the safest counties in Europe.“

QUINN-direct along with other Irish car insurance companies in Ireland are likely to see a ripple effect from these improvements in Irish road safety. Car insurance rates in Ireland have seen a steady climb over the past number of years but it is hoped that Irish road safety figures like these will help to bring car insurance in Ireland costs down.

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