Traffic hotline helps cut road deaths and injuries

A PILOT programme which has helped cut fatalities and serious injuries on roads in the south east could be rolled out nationwide next year.

Under the Traffic Watch scheme, piloted in Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford, and parts of Wicklow, motorists are asked to telephone a hotline to report dangerous and reckless driving or bad behaviour on roads.

In its first year, 4,000 calls have been logged, almost half of which were complaints about driving.

Over that time, serious injuries on roads in the area have been cut by almost a third and there have been five fewer fatalities in the region.

Some 500 motorists were cautioned and 10 people prosecuted as a result of calls. One motorist was fined 150 for throwing chips from a car window. There were also successful prosecutions for aggressive, reckless and drink driving.

Fines have ranged from 100 to 300, and there have been bans and endorsements for drink driving.

Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne is to decide early next year if the scheme will be implemented nationwide.

The co-ordinator of the scheme, Inspector Mick Melia, believes this should happen as Traffic Watch has played a major role in cutting down accidents, injuries and fatalities.

Fifty people lost their lives in the participating counties in the past 12 months, as opposed to 55 in the previous year.

“We’ve seen a 30% drop in the number of serious injuries from road accidents this year and there have been five less fatalities in such accidents compared to last year, before the scheme was set-up,” Insp Melia said.

“People have not been afraid to appear in court to bring about prosecutions under the scheme and so far it is working well,” he added.

Following calls, gardaí have immediately followed or later monitored those reported as driving when intoxicated.

Gardaí have also been assisted in other cases by witnesses’ accounts of bad driving behaviour.

The penalty points system is also helping cut down on speeding, Insp Melia said.

In Kilkenny, up to 100 motorists have incurred penalty points since the system was introduced. In nearby Carlow, there have been 40 prosecutions for speeding since the system started.