National Safety Council

Presentation to:

The Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business: October 19th 2005

The Joint Committee on Transport: October 20th 2005

Contents

Road Safety

Part One: The Scale of the Challenge

Part Two: Irelands position on Road Safety relative to other countries

Part Three: How is best practice in Road Safety achieved?

Part Four: Key Behavioural aspects causing death & injury on our roads

Part Five: The role of the National Safety Council in Govt “Road to Safety Strategy” 2004-2006.

Appendices to Document Part One: Scale of the Challenge

In the 1970s we killed, on average, 50 citizens every month on our roads.

In 1997 we killed 39, on average, every month.

In 2005, we are still killing 32 people, on average, every month.

(See Appendix 1 and 2)

For every death we estimate 8 people are seriously injured.

Of these deaths and injuries about one in three is under the age of 25.

If we were at the same level of deaths per 100,000 of population as Sweden, Holland

and the UK we would kill, on average, 20 people every month.

That means that from where we are at today we could save 140 deaths and about 1,200

serious injuries every year.

This is achievable.

It happened in the four month period from November 2002 to February 2003 following

the introduction of Penalty Points. Behaviour changed. Across the road network many

drivers reduced speed a little. There were fewer collisions, fewer deaths, and fewer

injuries.

2 According to a recent Goodbody report ‘Cost Benefit Parameters and Application Rules for Transport Project Appraisal (August 2004)’ road fatalities in 2004 cost the state

€852,720,000 and serious injuries cost €911,363,200.

The cost to the State is most clearly seen in relation to the use of scarce resources of the

Hospital and Emergency services and the impact of so many injury admissions as a consequence of road collisions.

The benefits of reducing collisions, deaths and injuries are:

 Freeing up scarce resources in Accident and Emergency Units and

Emergency services

 Freeing up resources and beds in the acute hospital network for patients

on waiting lists

 Reducing welfare payments because of deaths and injuries avoided

 Maintaining tax revenues

 Reduced Insurance premia

 Avoiding needless pain and suffering in the community

That is why investing in road safety is one of the most worthwhile investments

Government can make from an economic and social perspective.

(See Appendix 3 from Mater Hospital Spinal Injuries unit, St James Hospital and

Beaumont Hospital and the Southern Health Board)

3 Part Two: Irelands position on Road Safety relative to other countries

Road safety performance can be measured by comparing the number of road deaths against the total population or road deaths per 100,000 population.

Table 1. Ireland’s road deaths per 100,000 of the population from 1997 to 2004

Year Rate 1997 12.9 1998 12.4 1999 11.0 2000 11.0 2001 10.7 2002 9.6 2003 8.5 2004 9.3

There is still a sizable gap between Ireland and best practice countries such as Sweden,

Netherlands and the UK.

In 2002 the road deaths per 100,000 population were as follows:-

Country Rate U.K. 6.1 Sweden 6.0 Netherlands 6.1 Ireland 9.6 Italy 11.7

However in 2003 the number of fatalities fell to a forty year low (see Part One) in Ireland

and the rate stood at 8.5 - a considerable achievement which brought us closer to best

practice countries. We need to get back to this level with the utmost urgency. It can be

achieved.

(See Appendix 4 for graph of EU country comparisons)

4 Part Three: How is best practice in Road Safety achieved

Among “best practise” countries it is widely accepted that integrated strategies, plans

and programmes are the key to delivering best results and this is borne our by the

experiences of, for example, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia (Victoria and

Queensland), and New Zealand. Recently in Europe France has achieved one of the most

improved road safety records as a result of a campaign led by President Jacques Chirac.

The component areas of importance and some of the relevant organisations are shown as follows:-

►Engineering National Roads Authority and Local Authorities ►Education Department of Transport and National Safety Council ►Enforcement Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána Medical Bureau for Road Safety ►Evaluation High Level Group chaired by Dept. of Transport

Many other Departments, organisations, and agencies are involved. Each of the

organisations operates on an independent budget basis and central linkage of actions is

overseen by the High Level Group on Road Safety. There is no overall budget for the

Road Safety Strategy. There is no single point of responsibility for the overall delivery of

the Road Safety Strategy.

Partnership projects and co-ordinated actions are a key requirement for success. For

example the National Safety Council and the Gardai have established an excellent

working relationship coordinating activities which have contributed to the fall in deaths

over the past several years.

It is planned to continue and strengthen these linkages.

However a successful strategy, at this strategic level, is only successful if it is an

investment programme that is planned and managed as a coordinated and integrated

set of actions with a dedicated budget, time scale and resources and with a clear point of

responsibility and accountability. 5 In Ireland road safety policy is implemented through a series of separate, disconnected, poorly planned and inadequately funded activities with no central point of responsibility or accountability. (See Appendix 5 – Department of Finance Submission to the Joint

Committee on Transport 17th June 2003)

Yet even with this dysfunctional delivery massive and measurable benefits have been delivered to the Exchequer and to the Community ( See Appendices on Hospital research referred to above)

With a properly managed road safety programme more can be done and the gains will be permanent.

6 Part Four: Key behaviour aspects causing death and injury on our roads

The key behaviours causing death and injuries on our roads are

 Excessive and inappropriate speed  Driving while impaired – through Alcohol, Drugs and Driver Fatigue  Failure to wear seatbelts/appropriate child restraints  Failure to recognise risks to vulnerable road users (e.g. pedestrians, motorcyclists, pedestrians, elderly

It is our own behaviour on our roads that causes crashes, deaths and injuries. Therefore

in order to reduce the numbers to a minimum all road users, particularly drivers and

motorcyclists, must take personal responsibility for their actions and consequently

positively change their existing behaviour on our roads.

As contained in Strategy II these behaviours are specifically targeted through a range of

measures in the key areas of enforcement, engineering and education with the objective

of bringing about a sustained and permanent change in behaviour.

On July 13th 2005 the Government decided to establish through primary legislation the

Road Safety Authority. This authority will take over a number of key road safety related

activities in 2006 (including the activities of the National Safety Council). This Authority

has the potential to radically improve the management and implementation of the

Government’s Road Safety Strategy. But for this to happen it must operate in a radically

different legal and operations context – specifically in relation to Governance, Funding,

People, Systems and Autonomy. At this time there is no indication that this will happen.

(See Appendix 5 – Department of Finance Submission to the Joint Committee on

Transport 17th June 2003)

7 Part Five: The Role of the National Safety Council in Govt. Road to Safety Strategy 2004 - 2006

The funding of the National Safety Council is:

Department of Transport €3.2m

Irish Insurance Federation €1.2m

Sponsorship and Media Support €1.0m (approx)

Total €5.0m

The aim of the National Safety Council is:

To reduce the number of deaths and injuries from road traffic collisions.

We do this by:

Winning the moral argument on attitude and behaviour,

Shaping the climate of Public opinion

Building Community Support for Enforcement

This is achieved in the second 3 year Strategy by activities in the following key areas

under the broad classification of education:-

►Major Media Campaigns ►Education Initiatives ►Community Activities

Our activities are: Data led Research led and Psychology led

The range and scale of actions undertaken is, where practicable, interlinked with the

Garda Siochana operational plans to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Major Media Campaigns - A series of hard hitting television commercials concentrating

on the core target areas of anti drink driving, anti speeding, seat belt wearing and

vulnerable road users. These campaigns will be supplemented by radio press and other

media. 8  January 2005 the NSC put in place a major awareness campaign on behalf of the Dept. Of Transport to support the changeover of road signs to metric.  March 2005 the NSC launched a children’s road safety TV advert in co-operation with the Department of the Environment in the North of Ireland entitled ‘Stop, Look, Listen, Live!’.  August 2005 the NSC launched a new Motorcycle Safety TV commercial entitled ‘Bike Safely’. The advert was purchased from the Department of the Environment in the North of Ireland.  The NSC is also in the process of developing a new anti drink driving advert jointly with the DOE NI.

Education Initiatives – The existing resources “Be Safe” – Primary and “Staying Alive” –

Transition Year level are being reviewed at present and a new resource – “Streetwise” for junior cycle level (12-15 y/o) is currently being pilot tested in 40 schools around the country. Steer Clear is a privately funded education initiative directed at 5th and 6th year classes and is part of the Community education project being pilot tested with 7 Local

Authorities.

Community Activities – Through the local authority Road Safety Together Working

Groups (R.S.T.W.G.’s) and the Strategic Policy Committees a range of co-operational promotions will be completed together with a number of special national promotions e.g.

Arrive Alive – Summer and Winter Road safety Campaigns; Nationwide information roadshows on child safety in cars and education initiatives mentioned above.

A range of print material and educational booklets have also been produced and distributed:

 Child safety in Cars (Booklet, Posters and DVD)  Motorcycle Safety (Booklet and Posters)  Mobile Phones (Leaflet)  Pedestrian & Truck Safety (Leaflet and Posters)  Going to school Safely (Leaflet)  Foreign Language Road Safety Guides (Leaflets and Posters)  Bicycle Safety (Booklet and Poster)  Tyre safety (Leaflet)

9 We are proud of our contribution to the Government’s Road Safety Strategy.

Appendices to Document

Appendix 1

The annual average number of Irish Road Fatalities per month 1963 - 2004

55 53 52 51 50 50 49 49 49 48 48 47 45 45 45 44 44 r

e 40 b 40 39 39 39 39 m 38 38 38 38 u 37 37 N 36 36 35 35 35 35 34 34 34 34 32 32 32 31 30 30 28 28 28

25 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 Source:1 1 NRA1 1 Road1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 Accident Facts Year Value of monthly average

Appendix 2

10 The annual average number of Irish Road Fatalities per month 1997 - 2004 20 per month = 6 per 100,000 population = 'Best in Europe' Source: NRA Road Accident Facts Value of monthly average 40 39 38 38

36 35 34 34 34 1998 - 2003 32 Average = 33 32 31 r

e 30 b 28 m

u 28 N 26 RS Strategy target = 25 24

20 Best Practice target = 20 18 1997 1998 1999 2000 Year 2001 2002 2003 2004

Appendix 3

 Changes in trauma service workload since the introduction of the Penalty points system. (2005) Donnelly M MB, Cleary S MB, *Murray P MCh. Dept. of Orthopaedics, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont road, D.9. Dept. of Orthopaedics, Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, D.24.α

 Speeding and maxillofacial injuries: Impact of the introduction of penalty points for speeding offences O.T. Hussain a,., M.S. Nayyar a, F.A. Brady a,b, J.C. Beirne a,b, L.F.A. Stassen a,c a National Maxillofacial Unit, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, Dublin 8, Ireland

b Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont Road, Dublin 9, Ireland

c Dublin Dental School and Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland (2005)

 The Impact of a Driving Offence Penalty Points System on Admissions to the National Spinal Injuries Unit. DG Healy, P Connolly, MM Stephens, J O’Byrne, F McManus, D McCormack. National Spinal Injuries Unit, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Eccles St, Dublin 7

 Report of the Southern Health Board into reduction in A&E admissions as a result of Road Traffic Accidents since the introduction of penalty points. (December 2003

11 Appendix 4

Number of Road Fatalities per 100,000 population: 1987 - 2003: High, Low, Current EU* *Cyprus and Malta data not included as not currently available

30 n o i t

a 25 l u 7 p 3 7 . o 5 1 . p 3 2 0

20 . 2 9 0 1 0 0 , 7 0 8 8 8 . 7 4 . 0 1 . 4

15 3 7 . 4 1 4 1 2 0 4

1 4 . 3 . 1 3 5 r 1 4 1 1 3 4 3 8 . . 6 5 . e 1 3 . 1 . 2 2 . 6 1 1 p 1 1 1 1 1

1 . 1 1 7 1 s 0 10 3 2 8 ' . . 1 6 . 9 F 8 8 8 8 2 . R 6 7 1 0 . 1 4 . 6 8

5 . 5 4

0 l y y y k s a h n a a g a a e n a e d d d d n l i a i i i i i i i r m r r c c n c d r e n n n n v a k n n g a n a a t u a u t t i e n e a t n d a a a a I a i e s a u p o l l l l g o a z t g a r e t a m e v l v l u e m u o e n n r r r S b L s i r r r r n C B o e o w h u o I I l A F P l t G F e e E e m t i B S P H S S h n e a D L G t r x e e e r u h N L G t r

Source: IRTAD Database, Latvian Road o Administration, Lithuanian Road Administration, N Low High Current Country Estonian Road Administration

12 Appendix 5

Statement of Department of Finance for Meeting of Joint Committee on Transport 17 th June, 2003

On foot of the Department’s role in advising the Minister and the Government on economic and fiscal policy we are involved in the public expenditure allocation process. In this context we advise the Minister and Government on aggregate expenditure policy at global and programme level. Some of the programmes relate to activity which pertains to the issue of road safety, for example, investment in roads infrastructure. The Department of Finance has no executive role in relation to any aspect of Road Safety. It is for Ministers and Departments to prioritise allocations to various areas including that of road safety within the overall programme allocations agreed by Government.

The following table indicates the increase in Exchequer funding for the following areas that are relevant to road safety. There are of course many other areas of the public sector that receive public funding, that are involved in road safety.

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 €000 €000 €000 €000 €000 €000 Medical Bureau of 794 946 1,566 1,265 1,728 2,067 Road Safety National Safety 1,148 1,114 1,187 2,023 2,575 2,724 Council National Roads 369,703 430,641 559,826 844,189 1,017,580 1,275,200 Authority

The Department is a member of the interdepartmental group, to be chaired by the Department of Transport, which has been set up to conduct an expenditure review of road safety. The draft terms of reference of this group require it to identify public expenditure on measures outlined in the Government Road Safety Strategy, 1998-2002, to evaluate the effectiveness of that expenditure, to examine the impact of road safety performance on areas that are not direct recipients of road safety funding and, if necessary, to recommend a re-prioritisation of road safety policies and measures.