Huge numbers of drivers ignore speed limits

MOTORISTS face a new anti-speeding blitz as figures released yesterday by the National Roads Authority reveal there are still huge numbers of speeders on our roads.

The number of speeding truck drivers actually doubled in the past four years despite increasing garda vigilance, according to extensive surveys carried out by the NRA.

More car drivers are also breaking the speed limit on urban roads. The situation on rural sections of national roads has improved, however, since 1999. On major urban roads within 30mph zones, 99% of cars measured exceeded the speed limit. For major roads within 40mph zones, the figure was 82%.

Announcing the NRA findings, Transport Minister Seamus Brennan said they showed a high level of non-observance of speed limits in 1999 and 2002 and justified his decision to introduce penalty points: “My strategy in initially targeting speeding is clearly appropriate. I know all agencies involved will work actively on the enforcement of the penalty points system in pursuit of our shared objective to reduce the death toll by addressing the speed mentality evident on our roads and by encouraging safer driving practices. This research provides a benchmark to gauge future success in curbing speeding and encouraging seat-belt wearing.”

Minister Brennan stressed that the agencies involved in road safety would continue to be fully active in a bid to ensure safer roads, but he warned that the key to reducing the death toll on our roads was more responsible driver behaviour.

The three surveys upon which the report is based were carried out between June and August, 2002, and include comparisons with the findings of similar surveys conducted in 1999. Commenting on the survey, chairman the NRA Peter Malone said: “Drivers will ignore the research findings and the commitment to combat speeding at their peril. Data supplied by the gardaí indicate that driver error accounts for more than 80% of road accidents. We should remember that speed has been identified as one of the main contributory factors in the majority of fatal road accidents on Irish roads.”

The authority also announced that it was seeking a different method of funding road building programmes.

NRA chief executive Michael Tobin said: “There is broad recognition that the principal challenge now facing the national roads programme is one of funding. ” He added that the NRA hoped the current system of annual budgetary allocation would be replaced by a “multi-annual programme with specific funding commitments.” That issue is being examined by an inter-departmental review group.