RSA - National Collision Profile and Overview of Dangerous Behaviours

National Collision Profile and Overview of Dangerous Behaviours Driving for Work Seminar 2023 Velma Burns RSA Research Manager 22/11/2023

Overview of national road safety data

Collision data Who, what, when, where All road users

Initial investigation Less detail

Road user studies/SPIs Self-report attitude and behaviour studies Observational surveys

Coronial data Analysis of driver and motorcycle driver (‘driver’) fatalities that occurred during 2015-2019.

The RSA has coronial data for 362 of the 431* drivers killed on Irish roads during 2015-2019 (84% coverage).

Overview of provisional fatality and serious injury data Figures current as of 25 October 2023

Long term trend fatalities Fatalities increased in 3 of last 4 years. Reaching the 2024 target of 122 a significant challenge.

250

80

192

188 150

154

146

140

134

41

35

100

155

162 41

RSS 60 Target

182

163

50

136

40

38

35

122

32 28

29

28

30

27

30 20

50 10

Figures for 2020 to 2022 are provisional and subject to change

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

0 2013

0 2012

Number of fatalities

200

Fatalities per million population

70

Road user profile last 5 years Motorcyclist and pedestrian fatalities are highest in last 5 years 80 70 60

38% of fatalities

74

69 61

58

52

50

43

39

40

33 25

30 19

20

15

18

22

27 20 9 8 10 7 7

10

15 16 17

22 23 0 0 1 0 2

0

Driver

Passenger 2018

• •

Pedestrian

Pedal cyclist

2019

2021

2020

Motorcyclist

2022

8% of drivers killed over 2018-2022 were driving for work.

23% of drivers involved in fatal collisions were driving for work.

Figures for 2020 to 2022 are provisional and subject to change

Other

Long term trend serious injuries Nine serious injuries for every fatality in 2022.

2000

1503

1600

1360*

1359

1400 Break in series

1200

965

1000

759

600

474

508

2013

800

2012

Number of serious injuries

1800

1425*

1145

1056

2024 RSS Target 1,133

827

400

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

0

2014

200

*2021 and 2022 serious injury data is provisional and subject to change. There can be significant fluctuations in serious injury numbers until such time as records are fully updated.

Road user profile serious injuries Significant increase in serious injuries among pedestrians in 2022, children feature strongly.

500 450

444

400

472 464

461

57% increase

368

351

350

306

301 300

268

250

204 212

200

195

260

287 248

227 224

210

226

220

182 180

183

159

146

150 100 50 0

Driver

% share of serious injuries

Passenger

2018

33%

15%

Pedestrian

2019

2020

25%

Pedal cyclist

2021

Motorcyclist

2022

15%

13%

Figures for 2021 and 2022 are provisional and subject to change. Percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding of percentages.

Road traffic fatalities in 2023 (as of 31 October) There have been 158 fatalities on Irish roads, representing 35 more deaths (+28%) compared to 2022

Over a quarter were aged 16-25 years

Fatalities are highest in the past six years

Almost half (49%) of fatalities occurred between 8pm and 8am

Average of 16 fatalities a month

Almost half (49%) of fatalities between Friday and Sunday

Increasing number of fatalities among passenger, pedestrians and motorcyclists

Approximately 7 in 10 on rural roads, with a speed limit of 80km/h or greater

Note: All data for 2020-2023 are provisional and subject to change. Fatality figures from January-December used to calculate 2006-2022 monthly average, while figures from January-October used to calculate 2023 monthly average.

Overview of dangerous behaviours

Dangerous behaviours influencing death and serious injury on our roads International evidence Speed (Safe Speeds) - 5% reduction in average speed ≈ 30% reduction in fatal collisions (WHO, 2017).

Impaired Driving (Safe Road Use) Distraction - Approximately 4 times more likely to be involved in a collision (WHO, 2022).

Impaired Driving (Safe Road Use) Intoxicants – Drivers with a BAC between 50-80mg alcohol per 100ml blood are between 5-10 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision (ETSC, 2022).

Protective Equipment (Safe Road Use) Seat belt wearing – Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal or serious injuries by approx. 60% (ERSO, 2022).

Fatigue is estimated to play a role in up to 20% of road traffic collisions, and is associated with increased crash risk (European Road Safety Observatory, 2018).

Speed

SPI 5 – Safe Speed Speeding Road Type

% Speeding

Sample Size

Urban Roads (50 km/h)

77%

9,203

Rural Roads (100 km/h)

29%

8,141

Motorways (120 km/h)

15%

14,654

▪ 75% of HGV drivers exceeded the speed limit on rural roads (where the speed limit for HGVs is 80km/h) and almost 30% exceeded the speed limit on motorways (where the speed limit for HGVs is 90km/h).

▪ There was a higher incidence of speeding in the early morning hours, e.g., the 4am-8am time period.

Methodology Observation study using both temporary (urban 50 km/h) and TII’s permanent (rural 100km/h and motorway 120km/h roads) automatic traffic counters Fieldwork and traffic count data from October 2021 Approach allowed for comprehensive data collection at all times across the entire week across a range of vehicle types

Speeding Driver Attitude and Behaviour surveys, Base: All Motorists Very Often/Often/Sometimes 2022

61 57

53

Exceed 50km speed limit by less than 10km Exceed 100km speed limit by less than 10km Exceed 50km speed limit by more than 10km Exceed 100km speed limit by more than 10km

Why do weekly 48car drivers 48 speed: 45 41 No crash experience, lack of 37 36 35 34 enforcement, social norms, 29 35 27 26 24 overconfidence 48

24

19

21

47

55 50

32

29

27

26

23

Sept 2022, N=1026, online, weekly car drivers 2014

2015

2017

2019

2020

2021

Driver fatalities who exceeded a safe speed (2015-2019) N = 86 ❑ 333 of the 362 driver fatalities (2015-2019) had a record of their action(s) prior to the fatal collision*.

26%

❑ 26% (n = 86) of the 333 driver fatalities with a record of their action(s) were exceeding a safe speed. ❑ 87% of the 86 driver fatalities who exceeded a safe speed were male.

74%

❑ 69% of the 86 driver fatalities who exceeded a safe speed aged <35 years. ❑ 76% of these 86 fatal collisions occurred during Friday-Monday, with 31% of them occurring on Sunday.

Exceeding a safe speed Driving at a safe speed

❑ 71% of these 86 fatal collisions occurred on rural roads (limits ≥80km/h). *Up to 10 actions can be recorded per driver fatality.

Driver fatalities who exceeded a safe speed (2015-2019) Other dangerous behaviours Non-seat belt wearing

Alcohol

❑ 57 of the 86 driver fatalities who exceeded a safe speed were driving a vehicle with seat belts. 56 of the 57 driver fatalities had a record of whether or not they wore a seat belt.

❑ 79 of the 86 driver fatalities who exceeded a safe speed had a toxicology result available.

❑ 55% of those driver fatalities were not wearing a seatbelt.

❑ 56% of those driver fatalities had a positive toxicology for alcohol*.

*A positive toxicology for alcohol was recorded where the BAC of the deceased was >20mg alcohol per 100ml blood (or equivalent in urine/vitreous humour).

Intoxicated driving Alcohol and other drugs

SPI 15 – Safe Road Use Intoxicated driving with alcohol 11

10 8 6

Methodology Online self-report questionnaire

Nationally representative sample of 1,013 car drivers aged 17+ who drive regularly (at least once a week).

With alcohol in the past 12 months

2021

With alcohol in the past 30 days

2022

When speaking to weekly car drivers in the last 12 months – 1 in 10 say they have driven after drinking alcohol Similar to findings in the DAB where, between 2014 and 2021, on average 9% of drivers surveyed drove after consuming any alcohol in the past 12 months

Fieldwork November/December 2021 and December 2022 Over the last 12 months/30 days, how often did you as a CAR DRIVER, drive after drinking alcohol?

Impaired driving with alcohol DAB 2014 – 2021, All motorists

Social Norms (acquaintances/friends) Unacceptable

Question: To what extent do you agree with each of the following statements?

Most of my acquaintances / friends think driving under the influence of alcohol is unacceptable.

100 90

82

80

80

85

77

72

70 60

Response strongly agree and agree.

50 40

30 20 10 0

2015

2017

2019

2020

2021

Driver fatalities with a positive toxicology for alcohol (2015-2019) N = 122 48% BAC >200mg per 100ml blood

37%

63%

❑ 334 of the 362 driver fatalities (2015-2019) had a toxicology result available. ❑ 37% (n = 122) of the 334 driver fatalities with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for alcohol*. ❑ 91% of the 122 driver fatalities with a positive toxicology for alcohol were male. 78% were <45 years of age. ❑ 81% of these 122 fatal collisions occurred during Friday-Monday, with 39% of them occurring on Sunday. ❑ 56% of these 122 fatal collisions occurred between 10pm-6am. ❑ 77% of these 122 fatal collisions occurred on rural roads (limits ≥80km/h).

Positive toxicology for alcohol Negative toxicology for alcohol *A positive toxicology for alcohol was recorded where the BAC of the deceased was >20mg alcohol per 100ml blood (or equivalent in urine/vitreous humour).

Driver fatalities with a positive toxicology for other drugs (2015-2019) Toxicology result available N = 334 Alcohol and other drugs* 140

37% No. of driver fatalities

120

122

14% had a positive toxicology for alcohol and at least one other drug category

100 80

60

13% 40

45

11% 37

20

7% 24

7% 22

Cannabis

Opioid(s)

0

Alcohol

Cocaine

Benzodiazepine(s)

*A positive toxicology for a drug does not imply impairment. Driver fatalities may have had a positive toxicology for more than one drug category, and more than one drug within one category. 7 drug categories were examined in total.

Impaired driving Mobile phone use

SPI 13 – Safe Road Use Mobile Device Vehicle Type % Using Mobile Device

Sample Size

Car

5%

11,107

LGV

11%

2,135

HGV

9%

667

PSV

9%

236

Methodology

The percentage of all drivers using mobile devices was lowest on urban roads (5%), rising to 7% on rural roads, and 12% on motorways.

Manual observation of 14,145 vehicles at the roadside of mobile device usage (mobile phones and other mobile devices) by drivers at 139 sites Fieldwork was conducted in June and July 2022 All route types were included in the study; weekend and weekday coverage; different vehicle types, daylight hours only

Mobile phone use while driving DAB 2014-2020, Base: All Motorists Very Often/Often/Sometimes 60

52 51

60

2022 online survey of weekly car drivers

50

41 42 40

36

30

28

20

13 10

10 10 12 9

Respond social media

20

Check social 25 media

Write messages/emails

27

Check 35 notifications

10

9

6

6

6

4

3

3

3

4

0

Talk hands-free

Talk handheld 2014

2015

Text 2017

2019

2020

Check apps

Those who drive for work Self-reported behaviours

Driver Attitude and Behaviour Survey 2021 Across each of the dangerous behaviours - driving after drinking alcohol, while fatigued, without a seat belt, and speeding, those who drive for work are disproportionately more likely to engage in these behaviours Dangerous Behaviour Speeding

All motorists Those who drive for work Exceed 50 km/h speed limit by more than 10 km

10%

15%

Exceed 100km speed limits by more than 10km

8%

13%

Overtake the car in front even when it keeps appropriate speed (on roads with 100km or 120 km speed limit)

9%

17%

Fatigue

Have ever fallen asleep or nodded off while driving

24%

30%

Seat Belts

How often do you use seat belts when you are a ...DRIVER

97%

92%

Alcohol

In the last 12 months - driven a motor vehicle after consuming any alcoholic drink

9%

14%

In summary Evidence shows significant engagement in all dangerous behaviours Large proportion of driver fatalities (2015-2019) were speeding or drink/drug driving in the lead up to the crash Increased social acceptability of drink driving a concern Current self-report data shows concerning levels of mobile phone use, and speeding by drivers Higher perceived levels of personal acceptability and safety for speeding relative to mobile phone use High risk groups: male, under 45, those who engage in multiple dangerous behaviours, and those who drive for work.

Given that approximately 1 in 5 drivers involved in fatal and serious injury collisions are driving for work at the time of the collision, it is critical that employers prioritise policies to promote safe driving behaviours.

Thank You Velma Burns Research Manager, RSA vburns@rsa.ie