South Meath Driving School

The Road Safety Authority reports that Ireland’s efforts to improve road safety have been acknowledged once again at European level. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has recently published a report comparing EU Member States’ progress in reducing deaths and injury among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists over the past decade.

Wednesday, May the 11^th marked the launch of UN ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety.’

At least 15,300 pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists were killed in the EU in 2009 and, unbelievably, since 2001 that figure reached a total of 169,000.

Research highlights Ireland’s success in achieving a significant reduction in vulnerable road user deaths. In the period ’01 to ’10, recorded deaths of pedal cyclists and motorcyclists have dropped 75% and 66% respectively. Last year fatalities among motorcyclists fell by 32% compared to the previous year. In the last decade pedestrian deaths fell by 54%.

According to the ETSC, progress in reducing pedestrian deaths in Ireland and the Czech Republic and, to a lesser extent, France and Britain, has been helped by a reduction of mean speed on urban roads.

The report states, ‘In Ireland, drivers have slowed down markedly in cities. But, the mean speed is still 54kph with 53% of vehicles exceeding the limit. In residential areas, the mean speed is now 35kph with only 4% of vehicles exceeding 50kph, suggesting that there is scope to follow many other European cities by reducing the speed limit to 30kph.’

In relation to motorcycle safety, the report says that Ireland and some other European countries achieved better average reductions in both the numbers killed and seriously injured motorcyclists since 2001.

However, a RSA  officer states that caution must continue to be exercised bearing in mind that so far this year seven motorcyclists have been killed, nearly doubling up on the same period last year. A motorcyclist, like the pedal cyclist or pedestrian, is that much more vulnerable than occupants of a car. Therefore, the proper personal protection equipment should be worn – head to toe. While initial basic training for novice bikers was introduced in December, there are many who have not received any training and this is the chance to change that: experience is not a guardian angel in itself. Too many motorcyclists want to put on a display of driving, whether through noisy exhausts or just plain speed. It’s seldom that a biker will stay behind a car that is keeping the speed limit; then, if there are a few of those chaps driving in unison, each appears to be putting on a performance to outdo his friend in a circus act, like lifting the front wheel. That’s fine on the right stage, but it sends out a very poor message to other road users, especially youngsters.

The RSA are also appealing to pedestrians who have had a night out on the town to keep off the public road, organise a lift, whether with a friend or by taxi in advance. A person in an inebriated state who walks out of a public house exacerbates his or her condition on clashing with the fresh air, then with a ‘One and a One’ as the Dubliner calls it, from the takeaway, sleepiness sets in and the width of the road suddenly becomes more important than the length of it. Dark clothes or a lack of visibility often spells the death knell for such pedestrian who may even fall asleep on the roadway, not giving some unfortunate driver a half chance of seeing them. People complain that taxis are, too often, not available at weekends especially around pub closing time. Yet, it’s usually the same people who find themselves in the same situation time and time again, whether through thoughtlessness or just lack of a little planning.

If the ‘Holy Hour’ was one time between 2pm and 4pm, then the unholiest hours must be from 12mn to 3.00am for that is when most incidents and accidents occur – without any great surprise. It should be avoided.

After school hours is another time of creeping danger. When droves of teenagers head for a bus stop the footpath reverts to a very narrow line. The chat chat is intense, mobile phones are busy and the banter is electric; as far as most of them are concerned the motorcar might as well never have been invented as a body is shoved outwards or the group just occupy half a traffic lane. Students, you are mere pedestrians and vulnerable. Spare a thought for the dangers lurking.

Motorists, keep a look out for those more vulnerable travellers, the biker, the cycler and the pedestrian especially at those unearthly times. An ambulance may be in greater need somewhere else – keep it there.