Road Safety Report eolas magazine issue 50

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Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD: Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 Ireland has made enormous progress in recent years in addressing the appalling death and serious injury toll on our roads, writes Hildegarde Naughton TD, Minister of State in the Department of Transport with responsibility for road safety.

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In 1997, the year before our first Road Safety Strategy was published, a staggering 472 people died on our roads. In 2021, the number fell to the lowest since records began.

But this is not a reason for complacency. How we move people and goods around has changed and will change in even more profound ways

Zero, i.e., no deaths or serious injuries by 2050.

These are ambitious targets, but they have been developed on the basis that the vast majority of road users have made superb efforts to make our roads safer. As previously mentioned, we have had multiannual Road Safety Strategies since 1998. From 472 deaths in 1997, in 2020

road safety report

Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD at the Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 launch.

over the coming years. New modes of transport which did not exist a few short years ago, such as eBikes and eScooters, are common sights in our villages, towns and cities, and the number of people walking, and cycling is also on the rise.

And it is for that reason that at the heart of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 is change, and a recognition that our attitudes and behaviours must change to take account of the fact that no one form of transport takes primacy over another.

The strategy includes a key focus on vulnerable road users, particularly cyclists and pedestrians.

And as part of this change, we must all accept and realise that every road user is entitled to use our roads and not have their life or safety put at risk due to the dangerous behaviour of others.

The primary aim of the strategy is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50 per cent over the next 10 years.

What does that mean in practice? It means reducing deaths from 144 per year to 72, or lower, and reducing serious injuries from 1,259 to 630, or lower, by 2030. It will also be the first step in Ireland’s journey towards realising Vision

we had 146 deaths on our roads and last year, 2021, there were 136.

We can build on this progress by drawing on the wealth of data and analysis around driver behaviour, road condition, and other factors which helps us understand how and where collisions occur. We know that speed is a major factor in collisions, but thankfully most road users know that the speed limit is not a target to be reached. We know that alcohol and drugs are high risk factors, but the vast bulk of drivers know never to drink and drive and drink driving is no longer seen – if it ever was – as being socially acceptable.

We also know that more effort is required in some areas. Too many people die for lack for putting on their seat belt. Too many people are distracted by their mobile phone. And unfortunately, too many people die in collisions where fatigue is a factor.

The new strategy meets the objectives in the 2020 Programme for Government to work on implementing the Vision Zero principle which is the global movement to eliminate road deaths by 2050, and to focus on reducing death and injuries of vulnerable road users.

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The strategy has been developed using a Authority which has examined international best

cent drop in serious injuries. It is backed by some €3.8 billion of investment. Among the key actions to be progressed in this period include:

practice, and conducted a national public

•

a review of speed limits, particularly considering a 30km/h default speed limit in urban areas;

•

an expansion of speed management

collaborative approach, led by the Road Safety

consultation and in-depth stakeholder consultation.

The Strategy also took into account feedback

road safety report

“The new strategy meets the objectives in the 2020 Programme for Government to work on implementing the Vision Zero principle which is the global movement to eliminate road deaths by 2050, and to focus on reducing death and injuries of vulnerable road users.”

M I N I S T E R O F S TAT E I N T H E D E PA RT M E N T O F T R A N S P O RT H I L D E G AR D E N AU G H TO N T D

from both Minister Eamon Ryan TD and I, as well as closely working with key stakeholders such as the departments of transport and justice, the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, our local authorities, and other agencies.

This Strategy adopts the holistic Safe System approach to road safety management, which is recognised as best practice by the EU, UN, and the World Health Organisation. The Safe System approach recognises that human error and human frailty must be accommodated in our road traffic system. It also emphasises that there is a shared responsibility for road safety across all parts of this system, from road users themselves, to how our roads and vehicles are designed, to how we provide emergency care for those involved in collisions. All parts of the system must work together to reduce deaths and injuries.

This strategy covers a longer period than previous road safety strategies, to align the end date with EU, UN, and WHO road safety plans.

Our new strategy is divided into three phases running from 2021–2024, 2025–2027 and 2028–2030. There will be an action plan for each phase, which take into account emerging trends and the most recent road safety developments and innovations. This will ensure the strategy continuously incorporates the most appropriate, effective actions to reach our goal.

The first phase, which runs until 2024, targets a 15 per cent reduction in deaths and a 10 per

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measures using period speed limits at schools; •

exploring the potential of developing an online portal for road users to upload footage of road traffic offences which could assist in prosecution; and

•

a review of penalties for serious road traffic offences including impaired driving, nonwearing of seat belts, and carrying children in vehicles without the appropriate safety restraints.

These actions will be carried out in tandem with other measures, such as investment in our roads infrastructure and walking and cycling facilities, and a review of road traffic policy and legislation to prioritise walking and cycling safety.

In order to deliver this ambitious strategy, a cross-government governance structure has been designed which will be overseen by a Ministerial Committee on Road Safety which I co-chair with the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD. This strategy is ambitious, but it is achievable.

We have already demonstrated our ability to make our roads safer, and this strategy builds on progress made to date. Working together, I know we can achieve our targets for 2030, and lay the foundations to achieve Vision Zero in Ireland by 2050. I look forward to achieving Ireland’s safest decade on the roads by 2030, and a safer, healthier Ireland for all.

Promoting safety on Ireland’s buses of achieving zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050.

Rory Leahy, Bus Éireann’s Chief Safety and Sustainability Officer writes on how Ireland’s national bus company is prioritising a safety culture for public transport.

Covid-19 has presented a significant challenge for public transport. Despite restrictions on capacity and fewer people travelling, 94 per cent of our passengers say they feel safe on our

services. With more than 2,700 employees, 1,150 vehicles and 82 million kilometres clocked up in an average year, with a further 120 million subcontracted kilometres, we feel strongly about our duty to instil trust in the safety of public transport and to contribute to a safety culture for all users of the national transport network.

As we transition to new sustainable fuels, our transport network is changing and will increasingly be shared with greater numbers of people using public transport and modes of active travel.

Safety in 2022 requires greater awareness of and appreciation for all users of our transport network and embracing new innovative safety technologies. This determination to keep safety as a priority, combined with our ambition to grow passenger numbers by 30 per cent by 2030 is why Bus Éireann is renewing our commitment to safety in welcoming our passengers back onboard.

Please contact info@buseireann.ie for further information or call 0818 836 611

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Every day in Ireland, people put their trust in public transport providers to help them on their journeys, whether for work, education, or leisure. Bus Éireann, as Ireland’s national bus company, has a special commitment to each and every one of our 89 million passengers annually to make sure that they reach their destination safely; indeed, safety is one of our five core values.

road safety report

Our expert training instructors focus on safe systems of work with our drivers; 200 new drivers joined Bus Éireann in 2021 and we introduced over 200 new vehicles into our fleet, each incorporating the latest safety systems.

Our drivers are supported by 150 craftworkers and 80 engineering operatives at our 17 depots and garages who keep our fleet safely maintained and on the road. Advanced fleet telematics is further improving our ability to measure safer and more fuelefficient driving performance. More than 8,400 vetting applications were processed by Bus Éireann’s school transport team in 2021, signaling our commitment to the safety of some of our most important passengers, 122,000 school children.

The new Road Safety Strategy 20212030 acknowledges that public transport is a safer and more sustainable mode of travel than private cars. Bus Éireann is promoting trust in public transport, aligned with the Road Safety Strategy and Vision Zero, Ireland’s long-term goal

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Road fatalities at record low in 2021

road safety report

136 road deaths

Up to 31 December 2021 Down 10 on last year

7

Donegal

1

Sligo

4

2

Mayo

12

2

Clare

6

Limerick

6

5

Monaghan

5 7 Cavan Louth 3 Longford 14 Meath 2 Westmeath 21 7 Dublin 0 Kildare 1 2 Wicklow Laois 0 Carlow 11 2 Tipperary Kilkenny 7 Wexford

Roscommon

Galway

Kerry

0 Leitrim

8

1

Waterford

Cork

Please note: all figures are provisional and subject to change.

Figures published by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in January 2022 recorded a 7 per cent drop in Irish road deaths in 2021 compared to 2020, with 19 pedestrian deaths in 2021 the lowest figure since records began.

However, males accounted for almost three-quarters of all deaths in 2021 and the tragic end to 2021 a reminder of just how fragile life is on the road.

Provisional road collision statistics show that the number of road deaths in Ireland in 2021 dropped to a record low, making it the safest year since road deaths were first recorded in 1959.

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A total of 136 people died in 123 fatal road collisions in 2021 compared to 146 deaths in 135 fatal road collisions in 2020. This represents 10 fewer deaths or a 7 per cent drop in road fatalities compared to last year. The figures were published by the RSA following an analysis of provisional fatal collision reports by An Garda Síochána.

The figures also indicate that while 19 pedestrians were killed in 2021, this is the lowest number of pedestrian deaths over the last 25 years since breakdowns 78

by road users became available in 1996.

Increases in fatalities occurred among both drivers (71, an increase of 10) and motorcyclists in 2021 (22, an increase of five). Provisional figures for serious injuries indicate that 1,091 serious injuries were recorded up to the 21 December 2021 compared to 1,105 in 2020.

Commenting on the country’s road safety performance in 2021, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD said: “I want to thank road users for making it a safer year, especially after 2020 was such a bad year for road safety. However, I am conscious that this news will come as cold comfort to those who have been injured and the families left grieving the

loss of a loved one. It reminds us that one death or serious injury is one too many. This is reflected in the ambition of the recently launched Government Road Safety Strategy 2021 to 2030, Our Journey Towards Vision Zero. It aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent over the next decade and achieve no deaths or serious injuries on the road by 2050.”

Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson of the RSA said: “Looking at the provisional road collision data it is encouraging to see that there were decreases in the number of passenger, pedestrian, and cyclist deaths this year. However, the increase in the number of driver deaths and motorcyclist deaths is a cause for concern. The number of serious injuries is also of concern.

“For every road death in 2021 there were over eight people seriously injured.

Prevention of serious injuries needs to be a focus for us all next year. Given that 74 per cent of all road deaths were male, we must continue to target interventions at this group. It is vital that we continue the downward trend across all road user categories in 2022 and beyond. The priority for us all, government departments, agencies, industry, representative bodies, and individuals is to embrace the shared

•

71% (96) of fatalities occurred

Time of day collisions occured

between 12pm and midnight, compared to 58% (85) in 2020.

•

Of the 96 fatalities, 73 (76%) occurred on a weekday (Monday-Friday).

There were 40 fatalities between midnight and 12pm (29%), compared to 61 (42%) in 2020.

•

Of the 40 fatalities, 13

18

18 15

99

8

19 16 14 12

12 12

11

10 10 8

19 17 16

9

8

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•

20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

6 4 2

occurred on Saturdays and Sundays, while 27 occurred on weekdays.

responsibility that’s at the heart of the new road safety strategy.”

During the course of 2021: •

over 175,000 drivers were detected committing speeding offences;

•

over 23,000 detected using a mobile while driving;

•

almost 8,800 arrests were made for driving under the influence of an intoxicant;

•

over 7,000 were detected for seatbelt offences; and

•

over 7,500 unaccompanied learner drivers were detected.

T: 096 25000 E: info@rsa.ie W: www.rsa.ie

1. *Please note, figures are provisional and subject to change.

2021

Road User Fatalities as of 31 December 2021* versus 2020 Road user

2020

2021

Difference

Drivers

61

71

10

Passengers

25

17

-8

Motorcyclists

17

22

5

Cyclists

10

7

-3

Pedestrians

32

19

-13

Other

1

0

-1

Total

146

136

-10

Review of Road Safety in 2021 •

As of 31 December 2021, there have been 123 fatal collisions, which have resulted in 136 fatalities on Irish roads.

•

This represents 12 less fatal collisions and 10 less deaths (-7 per cent) compared to provisional Garda data for 2020.

•

Of fatalities, 24 per cent occurred on an urban road and 76 per cent occurred on a rural road.

•

Over half of fatalities were aged between 16 and 45 years (55 per cent).

•

Of fatalities, 74 per cent (100) were male and 26 per cent (36) were female.

•

April (18), July (17), December (19) and August (22) had the highest number of fatalities.

•

Tuesday (24) was the most dangerous day in 2021, followed by Thursday (22), Monday (21), and Saturday (21).

•

49 per cent of fatalities occurred between 2pm and 10pm.

•

Dublin (21), Meath (14), Galway (12), and Tipperary (11) had the highest number of fatalities (42 per cent of total).

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Sam Waide, Chief Executive, RSA said: “A decrease in road deaths and serious injuries is welcome, yet we must not accept 136 lives lost and 1,091 serious injuries on our roads. Most collisions are preventable. Under Vision Zero, we have all signed up to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, and in the immediate term to 2030, reduce deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent. It is critical that we build on the progress achieved in road safety this year. We must not become complacent or let this year become a chance occurrence. It can be done; it must be done. The strategy is our pathway to do so.”

2020

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road safety report

EUROPE MOVES TOWARDS VISION ZERO Adopted in late 2021, the EU’s Road Safety Policy Framework 20212030, Next steps towards ‘Vision Zero’, aims to make road fatalities a thing of the past by 2050. Road deaths have more than halved in the EU since 2000, but progress has “stagnated” and more than 25,000 people per annum are still dying on European roads.

Along with over 25,000 deaths per year, over 135,000 people are seriously injured on European roads per year, figures which EU Commissioner for Transport Adina-Ioana Vălean calls “unacceptable”. The publication of the new road safety policy framework sets out how the EU plans to reach its 2050 goal in the intermediate term, with targets set to halve the number of fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. This marks the first time a target for serious injuries has been set alongside fatalities.

The framework identifies four main areas of intervention to aid Europe in reaching its goals: infrastructure; safe vehicles; safe road use; and fast and effective emergency response.

Infrastructure It is estimated that road infrastructure and surroundings play a contributing role in more than 30 per cent of crashes, with well-designed and properly maintained roads said to reduce the probability of accidents and so-called forgiving roads, laid out using Safe System principles, reduce the severity of those accidents that do take place.

In this context, the EU has mandated risk mapping and safety ratings for all roads that make up the Trans-European Transport Network. The European Road Assessment Programme has carried out assessments across EU states, scoring roads between one and five stars, and some other member states have developed their own methodologies.

The Commission has four main plans to 2030 with regard to infrastructure: to establish an expert group to better match speed limits to road design and layout; to facilitate exchange of experience on Safe System methodologies; to publish the results of member state assessments that are to be completed by the end of 2024; and to analyse the need for further research and innovation in this area.

The Commissions says that its services “will work with member states to define an infrastructure indicator” on the basis of a percentage of distance driven over roads with a safety rating above an agreed threshold. It is estimated within the Commission’s impact assessment that new rules in this area could save “up to 3,200 lives and avoid 20,700 serious injuries by 2030”.

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Credit: Ralmond Spekking

Safe vehicles

road safety report

Under the umbrella of vehicle safety, the Commission is currently: assessing the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of retrofitting the existing fleet, buses and trucks in particular, with advanced driver assistance systems; working with member states, the UN and stakeholders on implementing the new vehicle General Safety Regulation; working with member states to “enable necessary conditions for the proper functioning of the overridable Intelligent Speed Assistance”; and encouraging member states to consider national incentives to fast-track proven technologies.

A key performance indicator for vehicle safety will be a yet-to-be-determined percentage of new passenger cars with a European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) rating of four stars or above. Research indicates that cars with five-star NCAP rating have a 68 per cent lower risk of fatal injury and 23 per cent lower risk of serious injury than two-star cars. It has been “conservatively estimated” that the revised General Safety Regulation, agreed in 2019, will save “at least 7,300 lives and avoid 38,900 serious injuries by 2030, but bringing the expected number of lives saved to 25,000 and 140,000 serious injuries by 2037”.

The Commission is also preparing for connected and automated mobility in this area by means of implementing the EU strategy on automated/connected mobility and adopting specifications on cooperative intelligent systems.

Vision Zero in practice Vision Zero, the multinational traffic safety project that governs the EU’s road policies, has been in operation in Los Angeles since 2015, with the stated goal of eliminating all traffic-related fatalities in the city by the year 2025. In line with this aim, the city has focused on its so-called high-injury streets, 6 per cent of the city’s streets that account for 70 per cent of pedestrian deaths and injuries.

Under the guidelines of Vision Zero, the city is slowly changing these predominantly flat and wide roads, on which motorists tend to speed due to a lack of traffic lights. Lanes have been removed, bike lanes have been widened and more and better-quality pedestrian crossings have been installed as part of this effort.

However, traffic-related deaths and injuries have increased every year since 2015, with 2021 seeing 294 people killed on LA streets in this manner, a 20 per cent increase.

Critics of the city’s policy have cited a lack of funding, too slow a pace to the Vision Zero changes and a lack of institutional focus in the city.

However, in Brussels, the city that is home to European Commission headquarters, a 30km per hour speed limit was imposed on most roads in January 2021, a key policy point of Vision Zero, making speeding on congested city roads less likely. A study released by Brussels-Mobility in January 2022 showed that road deaths had been halved in 2021, with serious injuries also falling by 20 per cent.

Crucially, to combat one of the more frequent criticisms of Vision Zero proposals, the study also found that the new speed limits did not significantly affect journey times.

The so-called Zone 30 policy also cut noise pollution in the city, by up to half in some places, with reductions even recorded on roads that were not subject to the new speed limit.

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Increasing electric vehicles sales fuel cyber concerns road safety report

Back in 2014, Tesla’s Model S had been hacked to make the doors and sunroof open while the car is in motion, and the researchers behind the attack were able to control the systems remotely. Two years later a team of researchers was able to hack the controls of a Tesla Model S from a distance of 12 miles, adjusting the mirrors, locks and even slamming on the brakes. To alleviate concerns, in 2019 the company offered $1 million and a free car for anyone who can hack a Tesla Model 3.

While manufacturers are working on better firewalls now to keep these computers all protected, there are currently millions of cars on the road (basically all of them) that hackers can try to exploit and millions more will be coming before adequate security integration is truly implemented. As far back as January 2016, the auto industry has published its first set of cybersecurity best practices, intended to combat rising and future threats facing the connected car.

Environmental considerations are influencing trends on the vehicle market as a significant shift towards electric vehicles seems to be materialising.

According to an Irish Times article on 4 January 2022, data from Society of the Irish Motor Industry shows the number of electric cars registered for the first time more than doubled last year, comprising nearly one-fifth of all new registrations.

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On 11 January, BreakingNews.ie reported that according to initial registration figures for the first 10 days of the year, hybrids are now the most popular new cars on the Irish market, outselling either petrol or diesel models, which they claim reflects a dramatic change in the Irish market, which was previously dominated by diesel.

The Irish Independent on 16 January reported the words of Fáilte Ireland, the state tourism agency, that “it is looking 82

to the Government's ambitious plans for a substantial increase in the number of electric vehicles on our roads by 2030”.

But while this is meant to have a positive impact on the environment, it raises new concerns regarding cybersecurity. New cars are increasingly becoming networked computers with an engine attached, so imagine a scenario of ransomware infecting cars, locking them down and demanding payment to make them usable again.

But even when a vulnerability is found, manufacturers will have to target millions of vehicles, that have no effective way of being updated, since it’s uncertain who would heed the warning and take it to the dealer for a fix.

Imagine the frequency of Windows security updates, combined with vehicle model recalls over some faulty part.

As we learned with PCs decades ago, mashing up technologies in a rush to market invites maliciousness, and as automotive technologies are forced to start focusing on security as well, governing bodies and manufacturers need to plan ahead, to ensure an interoperability across standards that will make them usable for a variety of platforms.

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Serious injuries on Irish roads, 2017-2020 application of the definition, post-data collection.

Long-term trend

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Between 1998 and 2012, there was a steady decline in the number of serious injuries reported on Irish roads.

Thereafter, there was a steady increase in serious injuries up to 2019 when serious injuries peaked at 1,484.

“It is important to point out that in 2014 there was a break in time series for this data. This reflects a change in the mechanism for recording road traffic collisions, as well as a change in the mechanisms whereby the RSA receives collision data from An Garda Síochána,” the Head of Research says.

“We now have access to very good electronic data download on an almost daily basis from An Garda Síochána, alongside enhanced validation and quality control procedures. This new mechanism is providing the RSA with a more complete picture of the number of serious injuries on Irish roads.”

For each death on Irish roads over a four-year period from 2017 to 2020, there were almost nine serious injuries. Velma Burns, Head of Research with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) speaks with eolas about understanding the nature of the problem and key policy measures to address it in the context of the new government Road Safety Strategy for the next decade.

While it is internationally acknowledged that serious injuries can be underreported in police data, the RSA believes that this change in methodology is improving the data the RSA receives.

Meanwhile, serious injury numbers declined in both 2020 and 2021, coinciding with the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We believe that the drop in traffic volumes observed during the pandemic is a factor contributing to the reduction in serious injuries on our roads,” Burns remarks.

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European comparison Mirroring its ambitious target for fatalities, Our Journey Towards Vision Zero, the Government’s latest road safety strategy for the period between 2021 and 2030, has a target of reducing serious injuries by 50 per cent.

admitted to hospital as an in-patient or injuries such as fracture; concussion; internal injury; crushing; severe cuts or laceration; or severe general shock, whether or not they require hospital admission.

“The new Road Safety Strategy puts fatalities and serious injuries on an equal footing in terms of ambition,” Burns explains.

While gardaí apply this definition when they are tasked with responding to a collision, it is acknowledged that they are not medics, and this poses a challenge at the roadside. To compliment this, therefore, the RSA research department implements quality control procedures to ensure optimal

Definition A serious injury is defined as being an injury which results in a person being 84

Typically, for fatality data, the RSA reports per million of the population which enables performance comparisons with European counterparts. However, there are some challenges in undertaking a similar comparison for serious injuries.

Primarily, there are different serious injury definitions in operation across Europe, hampering the ability to compare rates. To counteract this, there has been a move to compliment collision data with hospital data. The subsequent definition suggested by the

European Commission is the Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS3+). This is an extrapolation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system which is used within hospitals.

Who is being seriously injured on our roads?

There are several high-level trends apparent in serious injury data for the years from 2017 to 2020.

Mode of transport Drivers accounted for a plurality (32 per cent) of serious injuries over a four-year period from 2017 to 2020, followed by pedestrians (21 per cent), and cyclists (20 per cent). Overall, vulnerable road users (cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists) account for over half (54 per cent) of all serious injuries.

The figures for the annual average serious injuries and fatalities by road user group from 2017 to 2020 show that for every one driver killed on Irish roads, there are six drivers sustaining serious injuries each year. “I would like to point out cyclists in particular because the ratio is stark; for every one cyclist killed, there are 25 cyclists seriously injured,” Burns highlights.

Gender

Age For serious injuries, 35 per cent of those seriously injured are in the 26 to 45 age category and 25 per cent are in the 46 to 65 cohort. This is broadly similar with the figures for fatalities with 31 per cent of those killed in the 26 to 45 category and 27 per cent in the 46 to 65 cohort.

Where are these serious injuries occurring?

Three-quarters of driver (75 per cent) and passenger (73 per cent) serious injuries are occurring on higher speed rural roads. However, the picture is very different when considering vulnerable road users, particularly cyclists and pedestrians. At least four-fifths of cyclist (81 per cent) and pedestrian (86 per cent) serious injuries are occurring on urban roads.

When are these serious injuries occurring?

There is a very consistent picture of serious injury across the days of the week, with between 14 and 15 per cent occurring each day.

Policy What then are the policy measures to address the problem of serious injuries on Irish roads?

The new government Road Safety Strategy for the next decade, Our Journey Towards Vision Zero, incorporates a Phase 1 action plan for 2021 to 2024 containing 50 high-impact actions which the RSA believes will make the greatest contribution to achieving the ambitious targets of 50 per cent reductions in fatalities and serious injuries.

“We have also identified 136 support actions which will be instrumental in helping us to achieve these ambitions,” Burns notes, adding: “These are grouped across seven priority intervention areas, broadly aligning with the Safe System Approach, the objective of which is strengthening the system to prevent death and serious injury on our roads.”

3. Safe vehicles: Actions include prioritising in-vehicle safety assist features and developing a national strategy for Connected and Automated Mobility.

4. Safe road use: Actions include penalties for serious road traffic offences and legislating for polydrug, drug, and alcohol use.

5. Post-crash response: Actions include implementing a trauma triage and bypass protocol, as well as providing trauma care and rehabilitation pathways.

6. Safe and healthy modes of transport: Actions include funding active travel infrastructure and developing a National Cycle Network Plan.

7. Safe work-related road use: Actions include improving data sharing to support enforcement, policy development and evaluation, as well as encouraging businesses to sign up to the European Road Safety Charter.

Next steps Summarising, Burns outlines the immediate steps the RSA will now take, including the publication of spotlight reports on trends in serious injuries by road user group, helping to inform evidence-based intervention.

“The RSA will also be initiating collaboration with the HSE and Trinity College Dublin on the reporting of serious injuries using MAIS3+ hospital data. We will also cooperate with our partners and road safety stakeholders to implement the Road Safety Strategy’s Phase 1 actions,” she concludes.

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RSA data indicates that with the exception of motor vehicle passengers, all road user groups exhibited higher proportions of seriously injured males.

This is particularly true for motorcyclists and for pedal cyclists, where men accounted for 94 per cent and 77 per cent of those seriously injured, respectively.

Over the last four years, the greatest number of average annual serious injuries – 373 – occurred in Dublin, followed by Cork and Galway which had average annual serious injuries totalling 136 and 61 respectively.

reviewing the framework for speed limits, including a default speed limit of 30km/h for urban areas, and expanding speed management measures.

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In Ireland, the first phase of work in translating Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) data to MAIS3+ was completed as a pilot project in 2016. Over the coming decade, the new strategy will ensure increased focus on serious injuries. The RSA is planning a second phase of work with HIPE data which will commence in Q3 2022.

Counties

T: 096 25000 E: info@rsa.ie W: www.rsa.ie

1. Safe roads and roadsides: Actions include developing 1,000km of segregated active travel infrastructure, as well as increasing the length of the divided road network.

2. Safe speeds: Actions include 85

road safety report

Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 in numbers 1998 First ever Road

Contains 50

Safety Strategy

high-impact

published

actions in Phase 1 2021 to 2024

2021 the fifth Road

Average fatalities

Safety Strategy is

from 2017 to 2019:

published

Identifies 7 priority

Lowest number of road

intervention areas

deaths on record in 2018: 137

Road deaths declined by almost 70 per cent between 1998 and 2020

144

Target of 50 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries by 2030: From 144 to 72 or lower

Average

Target of 50 per

serious

cent reduction in

injuries

serious injuries

from 2017

by 2030: From

to 2019:

1,259 to 630 or

1,259

lower

Safe System’s 7 areas of intervention: 1.

2.

3.

4.

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Safe roads and roadsides: Improving the protective quality of roads and infrastructure.

Safe speeds: Reducing speeds to safe and appropriate levels.

Safe vehicles: Enhancing safety features and roadworthiness of vehicles.

Safe road use: Improving road user standards and behaviours through traffic legislation and enforcement.

5.

6.

7.

Post-crash response: Improving the treatment and rehabilitation received by collision casualties.

Safe and healthy modes of travel: Promoting public and active transport while protecting those road users.

Safe work-related road use: Improving safety management of work-related journeys.

4

Transdev: Powering Ireland towards Vision Zero Seamus Egan, MD, TDLR, tells eolas: “I particularly welcome the seven Safe System priority intervention areas that have been adopted in this strategy.

road safety report

These aims will greatly assist Luas in operating a safe tram experience. It is ideal to review safe speeds and road use, particularly where road user standards and their behaviours will be viewed in line with traffic legislation and supported by enforcement.

“Equally, the aim to promote safe and healthy modes of travel, actively encouraging people to engage with public transport, is to be warmly welcomed.”

Transdev Dublin Light Rail (TDLR) as operator and maintainer of Luas, Dublin's light rail network, supports the Government's Road Safety Strategy of bringing Ireland to Vision Zero — no road deaths or serious injuries by 2050.

Safety is at the centre of Transdev's corporate values. We understand the need to provide safe road and rail transport systems to support the wellbeing of citizens and the economy.

Supporting Vision Zero will contribute to our collective safety ensuring a seamless and smart way of living.

to stay safe when using the road is critical.”

Transdev will always ensure we educate the public through our awareness campaigns on staying safe and staying vigilant when on the tramway or when interfacing with it as a road user.

We republished our Luas Safety message last November, which simply says: “Seconds could change your life.”

This message applies to motorists and cyclists who on occasion make splitsecond decisions to gamble a red traffic light when a Luas is approaching.

Equally, the message is aimed at pedestrians who regretfully run for trams but forget to look and see if a tram is coming in the other direction. These behaviours can sadly result in injury or death.

Through education and defensive driving by Luas Drivers, who are trained to anticipate the actions of others in all weather conditions, plus enforcement and changing our behavior, we will deliver Vision Zero.

1. Safe roads and roadsides.

To improve the protective quality of our roads and infrastructure.

2. Safe speeds. To reduce speeds to safe, appropriate levels for the roads being used, and the road users using them.

3. Safe vehicles. To enhance the safety features and roadworthiness of vehicles on our roads.

4. Safe road use. To improve road user standards and behaviours in line with traffic legislation, supported by enforcement.

5. Post-crash response. To improve the treatment and rehabilitation of collision casualties.

6. Safe and healthy modes of travel. To promote and protect road users engaging in public or active transport.

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The Luas network, like most tramways' shares space with people, walking, cycling and driving. Luas is a success because it is a safe transport mode that integrates well with other users.

However, since commencing operation in 2004, Transdev's safety experience shows that human error and breaching the rules of the road are responsible for some of the most serious incidents involving trams with cars, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Egan adds: “Sharing information on how

For the 2021–2030 strategy, seven Safe System priority intervention areas have been adopted, and the aim for each of these is provided below:

7. Safe work-related road use.

To improve safety management of work-related journeys.

T: 01 461 4910 E: info@transdev.ie

This experience is one of the many reasons why Transdev support the Seven Safe Systems Approach.

Transdev Dublin Light Rail Red Cow, Clondalkin, D22 C5 P3

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road safety report

Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 in numbers (continued) Three phases of action plans

Phase 1:

1.

Phase 1 2021 to 2024

•

2.

Phase 2 2025 to 2027

3.

Phase 3 2028 to 2030

15 per cent reduction in deaths from 144 to 122 or lower

•

10 per cent reduction in serious injuries from 1,259 to 1,133 or lower

Vision Zero objective: By 2050 no-one will be killed or seriously injured on Ireland’s roads

Fatalities 2013 to 2020: • • •

1,303 fatalities 53 per cent were car users 21 per cent were pedestrians

• • •

18 per cent were aged 15-24 19 per cent were aged 25-34 14 per cent were aged 35-44

• • • •

12 per cent were motorcyclists 8 per cent were goods, PSV, and other road users 6 per cent were cyclists 4 per cent were aged 0-14

• • •

12 per cent were aged 45-54 11 per cent were aged 55-64 23 per cent were aged 65+

Serious injuries in 2019: •

1,367 serious injuries

•

41 per cent were car users

•

20 per cent were pedestrians

•

20 per cent were motorcyclists

•

15 per cent were goods, PSV, and other

•

Male serious injuries exceeded female serious injuries at a ratio of 2:1

•

54 per cent were seriously injured on urban roads and 46 per cent on rural roads

road users

•

7 per cent were aged 0-14

•

5 per cent were cyclists

•

18 per cent were aged 15-24

•

Serious injuries exceeded fatalities at a

•

18 per cent were aged 25-34

ratio of 10:1

•

16 per cent were aged 35-44

•

14 per cent were aged 45-54

•

11 per cent were aged 55-64

•

14 per cent were aged 65+

Contributory factors • •

25 per cent of drivers killed were exceeding a

Cost:

safe speed (2013 to 2017)

•

€3.12 million Cost of a fatal collision in 2019

36 per cent of drivers killed had a positive

•

€447,384 Cost of a serious injury collision in

toxicology for alcohol (2013 to 2017) •

26 per cent of drivers killed were not wearing

2019 •

a seat belt (2013 to 2020)

€1.29 billion Estimated financial cost of road traffic collisions in 2019

2020: • 88

147 people were killed and 1,111 were seriously injured in collisions

GoSafe: Promoting safer, smarter, cleaner journeys

road safety report

Communities nationally face challenges in ensuring safer, easier mobility options for all users. GoSafe is a leader in safe, smart, and clean transportation. We serve our customers by providing technology-based solutions to make mobility safer, smarter, and cleaner.

Safer Speeding, reckless, and distracted driving continues to have a profound and devastating impact on drivers, passengers, and families.

Protecting our vulnerable school children is at the forefront of our approach and we support periodic speed limit solutions which allows authorities to reduce speed limits at the approaches to schools during school times.

Smarter As part of a network operating around the globe, GoSafe sits at the centre of the mobility ecosystem, one that brings together vehicles, devices, information, and people to solve the most complex challenges faced by our customers.

Smarter technologies we utilise include variable speed limits on motorways that allows operators to smooth the flow of traffic by regulating speeds. This measure works by triggering a reduction in speed limits before congestion reaches a critical level minimising flow breakdown and improving journey reliability. Another use-case is where variable speed technology is proactively utilised to reduce speed limits on roads with microclimates that are susceptible to intense rain, hail, or snow.

Cleaner Everyone deserves to breath clean air and our technologies have the power to help change the world, from saving lives to the environment. Our average and variable speed technologies encourage motorists to drive in a smoother manner helping to reduce fuel consumption, noise pollution and harmful omissions whilst our congestion and low/ultra-low emission zones for cities help clean up the air that we breathe.

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We support safer communities by installing, maintaining and managing technology solutions that positively impact on driver behaviour, enhance road safety and optimise traffic mobility.

Partnering with stakeholders, we create the foundation for a safe transportation ecosystem. We work with customers by installing leading photo enforcement technology to positively impact driver behaviour and enhance road safety.

These include bus lane, red light, railway crossing, speed, and distracted driving cameras.

At GoSafe, we focus on safer mobility solutions for the most vulnerable road users to help make sure that everyone arrives home safely.

Our ‘Red X’ solutions indicate a hazard, breakdown, or the presence of emergency services on the motorway ahead. The driver is automatically altered to lane closures giving them time to adjust their driving to altered conditions ahead.

T: +353 1 469 1200 E: info@egis.ie W: www.egis-projects.ie

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EUROPEAN ROAD SAFETY KEY FIGURES road safety report

European Commission data for road fatalities in 2020 show an “unprecedented” annual fall of 17 per cent in the number of road fatalities in the EU compared to 2019.

18,000

50%

road fatalities in 2020 on EU roads

the targeted decrease in EU road fatalities for the 2010–2020 decade

17%

54%

annual decrease in road fatalities in the EU

the reduction of fatalities from 2010–2020 in Greece, the only member state to exceed 50%

36% decrease in EU road fatalities between 2010–2020

18

20% or more decrease of road fatalities recorded in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Malta, and Slovenia

9

6%

30%

countries recorded reductions of more than 40%

the increase in road deaths in Ireland 2019–2020

the decrease in road deaths in Ireland 2010–2020

70%

5 90

member states registered lowest ever number of road fatalities in 2020

countries recorded increases: Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Finland

of road fatalities in urban areas involve vulnerable road users, i.e., pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists