The primary purpose of safety cameras is to reduce speed related collisions, lessen injuries and save lives.
Since 2010, An Garda Síochána has contracted a service provider ‘GoSafe’ to operate safety cameras on its behalf.
Safety cameras only operate on sections of road which have a history of collisions occurring where speed was a contributory factor. The areas where the cameras are operating are available to the public on the Garda website.
‘GoSafe’ monitoring commenced operation on a phased basis in November 2010 and reached full operational capacity in March 2011. GoSafe are contracted to provide a minimum of 6000 hours speed enforcement per month as directed by An Garda Síochána. GoSafe are also set key performance indicators to ensure enforcement is targeted at key days and times – with a particular emphasis on night time and weekends.
From 1st November 2010 to 31st December 2012, more than 408,000 fixed charge notices were issued as a result of detections from both GoSafe and Garda operated Robot vans for non-intercept speeding offences.
Progress to date:
GoSafe have completed over 162,000 hours of enforcement since its launch and 26,500 hours of surveys (as of end January 2013 – see notes below).
Following the introduction of the safety cameras most zones saw a dramatic and sustained improvement in compliance with speed limits. The number of vehicles detected continues to fall as drivers modify their behaviour and on average less than 1 person per hour of enforcement is detected by GoSafe.
The results of speed surveys show in the two years from January 2011 to January 2013, compliance with the posted speed limit has increased:-
· in 50 km/h zones from 62% to 93% compliance,
· in 60 km/h zones from 78% to 91% compliance,
· in 80 km/h zones from 89% to 97% compliance,
· in 100 km/h zones from 96% to 99% compliance.
In the same period road deaths fell to record lows with 186 deaths in 2011 and 162 deaths in 2012.
Similarly between 2004 and 2008 the proportion of fatal collisions occurring in the GoSafe zones was approximately 30%. In 2012 this had reduced to 17%, or 26 road deaths.
In human terms this 13% reduction occurring in GoSafe zones represents 20 fewer fatal road traffic collisions in 2012 alone.
<_o3a_p> Year <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> Road Deaths <_o3a_p> | Fatal collisions <_o3a_p> | In Zone <_o3a_p> | In Zone <_o3a_p> (%) <_o3a_p> |
2004 <_o3a_p> | 374 <_o3a_p> | 334 <_o3a_p> | 105 <_o3a_p> | 31% <_o3a_p> |
2005 <_o3a_p> | 396 <_o3a_p> | 360 <_o3a_p> | 118 <_o3a_p> | 33% <_o3a_p> |
2006 <_o3a_p> | 365 <_o3a_p> | 321 <_o3a_p> | 98 <_o3a_p> | 31% <_o3a_p> |
2007 <_o3a_p> | 338 <_o3a_p> | 309 <_o3a_p> | 95 <_o3a_p> | 31% <_o3a_p> |
2008 <_o3a_p> | 279 <_o3a_p> | 254 <_o3a_p> | 70 <_o3a_p> | 28% <_o3a_p> |
2009 <_o3a_p> | 238 <_o3a_p> | 220 <_o3a_p> | 58 <_o3a_p> | 26% <_o3a_p> |
2010 <_o3a_p> | 212 <_o3a_p> | 185 <_o3a_p> | 33 <_o3a_p> | 18% <_o3a_p> |
2011 <_o3a_p> | 186 <_o3a_p> | 172 <_o3a_p> | 31 <_o3a_p> | 18% <_o3a_p> |
2012 <_o3a_p> | 162 <_o3a_p> | 151 <_o3a_p> | 26 <_o3a_p> | 17% <_o3a_p> |
(*this data refers to 518 speed enforcement zones)
This improvement in driver behaviour and compliance has helped contribute to the continuing reductions in road deaths. It is important however not to be complacent and to ensure that the safety camera project continues to be targeted in line with emerging collision trends. With this objective in mind An Garda Síochána has conducted a review of existing zones and identified new zones as detailed below.
Initial Speed Enforcement Zones
When launched in November 2010 a total of 518 stretches of road were selected as speed enforcement zones based on an analysis of 5 years of fatal and injury collision data from 2004 to 2008.
Updated Speed Enforcement Zones
An additional 243 stretches of road have been further identified as having a collision history suitable for inclusion as a speed enforcement zone. 60% of these roads are regional/local roads while the remaining are national roads.
In total therefore there are now 727 identified speed enforcement zones representing 2,354 kilometres – or 2.5% of the approximately 96,000 km of road network in Ireland.
48% of all fatal collisions in the five year period 2006 to 2012 occurred on these 727 sections of road.
These new locations can be found on the map on this website or www.garda.ie/gosafe.htm
List of 243 new zones
Total List all 727 active zones
34 zones removed from the list of speed enforcement zones
Using more recent collision data from 2006 to 2012 the existing zones were reviewed together with the results of speed surveys. As a result of this ongoing review which was outlined at the launch of the GoSafe initiative in 2010, 34 zones have been identified where enforcement is no longer as relevant due to reduced collisions and/or improved compliance with speed limits. This is the first time An Garda Siochána have removed speed enforcement zones for GoSafe locations.
These stretches of road will no longer be included as speed enforcement zones for GoSafe, however they will still continue to be monitored as with any other road by Garda operated Robot vans or intercept speed enforcement.
Assisistant Commissioner Gerard Phillips said today:-
"When the safety cameras were launched in 2010, the public supported them because we were able to show that 30% of fatal collisions were occurring in these speed enforcement zones. After three years of high visibility enforcement and surveying, this has changed dramatically and now we have reduced this ratio to 17% of fatal collisions happening in these zones, and increased compliance to 99% on some roads. This effectively means in 2012 alone, we have prevented 20 lives being lost. We must thank the public for this and acknowledge this positive change in driver behaviour.”
Commissioner Phillips continued:-
"In saying that, as we head into St Patricks Weekend, there have been 43 people killed so far in 2013, 15 road deaths more than this date last year. Of those 27 have been drivers and 3 have been passengers alone. There is no doubt that speed still remains the main contributory factor in road traffic collisions. We can never be complacent about road safety and think the job is finished, that is why we are releasing these new GoSafe safety camera locations. We want people to become familiar with them, realise why they are there and to slow down. Nearly half of all fatal collisions have occurred in these 727 zones, which is why we are making the public aware. Remember reducing speed saves lives”
Commissioner Phillips concluded:-
"Every fatal collision affects many people, not just the family and friends who have lost a loved one. I wish to acknowledge the support and assistance of all departments and agencies involved in road safety and in particular every member of the frontline emergency services who attend road traffic collisions.
Notes to editor:
Road Traffic Fatalities by month
<_o3a_p>
Month <_o3a_p> | 2010<_o3a_p> | 2011<_o3a_p> | 2012<_o3a_p> | 2013 (to date) <_o3a_p> |
| Jan<_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> | 21 <_o3a_p> | 10 <_o3a_p> | 19 <_o3a_p> |
| Feb<_o3a_p> | 14 <_o3a_p> | 18 <_o3a_p> | 13 <_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> |
| Mar<_o3a_p> | 12 <_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> | 12 <_o3a_p> | 9 <_o3a_p> |
| Apr<_o3a_p> | 19 <_o3a_p> | 8 <_o3a_p> | 16 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| May<_o3a_p> | 28 <_o3a_p> | 11 <_o3a_p> | 13 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Jun<_o3a_p> | 11 <_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> | 25 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Jul<_o3a_p> | 21 <_o3a_p> | 18 <_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Aug<_o3a_p> | 19 <_o3a_p> | 16 <_o3a_p> | 12 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Sep<_o3a_p> | 13 <_o3a_p> | 13 <_o3a_p> | 10 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Oct<_o3a_p> | 36 <_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> | 15 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Nov<_o3a_p> | 14 <_o3a_p> | 18 <_o3a_p> | 8 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
| Dec<_o3a_p> | 10 <_o3a_p> | 18 <_o3a_p> | 13 <_o3a_p> | <_o3a_p> |
Total <_o3a_p> | 212<_o3a_p> | 186<_o3a_p> | 162<_o3a_p> | 43 <_o3a_p> |
<_o3a_p>
GoSafe provide a mimimum of 6,000 enforcement hours (from marked vans) and maximum of 1,475 survey hours per month across the country. For the 6,000 enforcement hours, the cameras will operate from vans which will be marked with high visibility reflective material and will display a safety camera symbol. Images of the vans are available on the Garda website – www.garda.ie.
The survey hours will be conducted (from unmarked vans) pre and post enforcement, in order to accurately observe and record the speeds at which vehicles are currently travelling, for survey purposes only.
