The Construction Federation Ireland, Construction Safety Week is kicked off this week and day one’s theme is Drive Safe this Bank Holiday.
According to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), there were 137 fatal collisions, resulting in 148 fatalities on Irish roads in 2020. This represented +8 more fatal collisions and +8 more deaths, when compared with 2019. Whilst the trend up until 2018 was of a decreasing number of fatalities on Irish Roads, figures for 2019 and 2020 saw an upward trajectory, as shown in Figure 1.
In 2020, most fatalities (50) occurred on higher speed roads, with 24 on 80km/h roads and 21 on 100km/h roads. In both 2019 and 2020 there were more fatalities on rural roads (with a speed limit of >= 80km/h) than on urban roads (with a speed limit of <= 60km/h).
Driver and passenger fatalities represented almost 60% of fatalities in 2020 while vulnerable road users (i.e. pedestrians, cyclist, motorcyclist and other) represented 41% of fatalities. Saturday was the most dangerous day on Irish roads in 2020, with 29 fatalities. Of the 85 drivers and passengers killed in seatbelt-equipped motor vehicles in 2020, 26% were not wearing a seatbelt.
Up to 21st September this year, 106 fatalities occurred on Irish roads from 95 fatal collisions; figures comprised of:
Reportedly, 1 in 10 drivers admit to regularly texting while driving. According to the RSA, drivers are 4-times more likely to crash if using a handheld phone while driving, and texting increases the risk substantially. In 2020, An Garda Síochána issued 24,474 fixed-charge notices to drivers for using a mobile phone while driving. If detected driving with a phone in your hand, or cradled in the crook of your neck, you face a fixed charged notice of €60 and 3 penalty points on your driving licence.
