Government Must Make Our Roads Safer for Everyone
- Urgent Action on Road Safety as SUVs and Motorbikes Found to be Most Common Vehicles Involved in Accidents
Labour Spokesperson for Transport Duncan Smith TD has expressed deep concern following a response to a parliamentary question which found that SUVs and motorbikes are the most common vehicles involved in road traffic accidents.
Deputy Smith said:
“We are all aware of the horrific increase of lives lost on our roads this year. Too many communities have been touched by awful tragedies and Government has failed to respond in a meaningful way.
“SUVs are becoming increasingly popular in Ireland, but the Department’s response shows just how dangerous they can be on the road. They emit more greenhouse gases and other pollutants than smaller cars, but they are also more likely to be involved in accidents.
“Twenty years ago, we put a huge focus on road safety and it worked to bring down fatalities on our roads. We need to see that focus from Government again. It has to be evidence-based so that drivers can adjust their behaviour.”
“We cannot afford to wait any longer. The government must act now to make our roads safer for everyone.”
Response to Parlimentary Question No. 457 to Minister for Justice
To ask the Minister for Justice if her Department records the type of vehicle involved
in road accidents which become the subject of a criminal trial; if not, her plans to
record such information; and if so, the types of vehicles involved in such accidents in
each ofthe years 2018 to 2022 and to date in 2023.
As you will recall, I sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities
and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
As you wil be aware, underthe Garda Siochana Act 2005 (asamended), the Garda
Commissioner is responsible for themanagement and administration of Garda
business, including the direction of investigation priorities for the organisation and
the management of the PULSE system. As Minister, I play no role in these
independent unctions.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information is not available in the
formatrequested. I am turther advised however that vehicle types are recorded on
PULSE in relation to all traffic collisions and to crime incidents, where applicable.
I am advised that fatal, serious and non-serious injury collisions with adate reported
between 1January 2018 and 28 September 2023 were examined for any linked,
associated or cased crimes. These crimes may be of any type and may or may not
have an associated vehicle. Where there was an associated vehicle to the above
crimes, the details of these vehicles were also examined.
I am informed that from this analysis, the tive most common vehicle types associated
with these crimes are:
- MPV (Hatchback/Saloon/Estate)
- Motorcycle
- Jeep (inci. Estate/Jeep)
- Sports/Coupe (Non-Convertible)
- Articulated Tractor Unit (An articulated tractorunit may also be Known as a truck
cab or unit and does not relate to agricultural tractors).
These figures are based on incidents reported from 1 January 2018 to 28 September
2023, inclusive. Al information containedin this report is based upon operational data
from the PULSE system as was available on 29 September 2023 and is liable to
change. Crime counting rules were applied.