Penalty points cut road deaths by 20%

THERE has been almost a 20% reduction in the number of road deaths since penalty points were introduced last November, Transport Minister Séamus Brennan said yesterday.

There are 63 fewer people dead between November 2002 and August 2003 compared to the same period the previous year.

Mr Brennan announced that 46,177 drivers had received penalty points since the system began. He called on the insurance industry to play its part in improving road safety and cut premiums.

Conor Faughnan of the AA said if the trend for road fatalities continued in 2003 it could mark a milestone in road safety history.

"Death figures are down considerably, serious injury is down. That is the bottom line. There are a lot of variables, such as the good weather we've had by and large. It could be a landmark year if that can be sustained, touch wood."

The National Spinal Injuries Unit disclosed that the number of cases they received dropped by 50% in the first six months of penalty points.

Figures released by the Department of Transport yesterday showed that:

44,751 drivers now have two penalty points a rise of 16% on July.

1,356 motorists have four points a rise of 32%.

65 drivers have six points an increase of 59%.

4 have received eight points a rise of 33%.

1 driver has accumulated 10 points unchanged.

Drivers who reach 12 points are automatically disqualified from driving for six months. Conor Faughnan said the penalty points system was generally working well, but that there were a number of problems:

Not enough enforcement by gardaí.

Too much enforcement in the wrong places, such as where the speed limit was too low e.g. 40mph in a three-lane dual carriageway.

Bureaucratic slowness in processing the points.

Lack of visible speed signs.

Fine Gael transport spokesman Denis Naughton said the reduction in road deaths were to be welcomed, but said the drop would be bigger if the system had been set up properly and more resources given to gardaí.

"At any one time there is a maximum of 125 gardaí involved in traffic duty for the whole country, out of 1.2 million drivers. What we're seeing is the tip of the iceberg." Mr Brennan called on the insurance industry to lower it's premiums.

"I thank Hibernian Insurance for their commitment to improve road safety and reward drivers who drive responsibly.

"I would ask all other insurance companies to act now and co-operate with us in making our roads safer for everyone."

A spokesman for the Insurance Industry Federation said all companies had lowered premiums this year the first year they had been profitable for four years.

He said the industry had implemented all but one of the 11 recommendations in the Motor Insurance Advisory Board report.

He also pointed out the industry funded the National Safety Council to the tune of €1m per year.