Casualty Reduction Campaign - April/May 2014

Nearly 2 out of every 5 road fatalities in Dublin is a pedestrian (45 out of 121)

Highlights 

·        Nearly 2 out of every 5 road fatalities in Dublin is a pedestrian (45 out of 121) 

·        Pedestrians are the single biggest road user group to die on Dublin roads 

·        An Garda Síochána and partner stakeholders to target pedestrian road safety awareness 

Road fatalities have reduced significantly in the Dublin Region in recent years however Pedestrians still remain the single biggest group to die on Dublin roads. Since 2008, nearly 2 out of every 5 fatal road traffic collisions involve a pedestrian losing their life.  

In order to tackle this significant issue, and as part of the April/ May Casualty Reduction campaign being run in the Dublin Region, An Garda Síochána and partner stakeholders* will specifically target pedestrians with a view to increasing their own road safety awareness, and thus reducing the number and severity of pedestrians involved in road traffic collisions. 

Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid, head of Dublin’s Traffic Corps said:- 

"We have made significant progress in reducing the number of road fatalities in the Dublin Region. However when we analyse the tragic year end figure, we can clearly see that Pedestrians still remain the most vulnerable, even more so than drivers who traditionally figure higher in terms of fatal incidents. We, along with all our partner stakeholders must think outside the box, as this is not solely an enforcement issue. We must get drivers to slow down, particularly in 30km/h and 50km/h zones, but also appeal to pedestrians to ensure they do everything to remain safe on the roads.”  

Chief Superintendent Reid added:- 

"This is particularly relevant in relation to pedestrians who may have been drinking. Getting home safely is what everyone wants, so when out socialising be responsible and don’t overdo it. The figures speak for themselves, if a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle at 60km/h there is an 85% chance of a fatality, however if hit at 30km/h the chance of a fatality is only 5% and the survival rate is 95%**.”
 
Mr. Michael Rowland, Director Road Safety Research & Driver Education with the Road Safety Authority welcomed the casualty reduction plan and specifically its aim to target the area of pedestrian safety. "For the past number of years the RSA has prioritised pedestrian safety by educating pedestrians and drivers of the steps they need to take to ensure they share the roads safely. One such move has involved the distribution of thousands of high visibility jackets to walkers and joggers. If anyone wants one they can do so by requesting on our website rsa.ie. Drivers need to play their part too by realising that in a collision with a pedestrian, regardless of who is at fault, the pedestrian will come off worse, so it’s important to drive with your eyes wide open to possible danger and slow down, so you have time and space to stop suddenly.”

 Notes