Public back harsh road safety rules

THE public have said they support harsh measures to deal with irresponsible driving, Road Safety Authority chairman Gay Byrne has revealed.

Mr Byrne was commenting on tomorrow’s unveiling by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey of a raft of new measures to clamp down on irresponsible driving.

Suggestions made by people who took part in the RSA’s consultation process were more “draconian” than anything the authority had in mind, he said. Reduced engine size, nighttime curfews, a speed limiter on cars, a restriction on the number of passengers were among the proposals considered during consultation on the new licensing system for learner drivers.