EU: Irish deaths down, but rural speed limit too high

THE European Transport Safety Council has praised Ireland’s efforts in reducing deaths on rural roads, but said the speed limit here is too high.

ETSC’s 18th Road Safety PIN Flash compares EU countries’ progress in reducing deaths on rural roads since 2001.

It finds that, compared with an EU-wide average of 5%, Ireland has reduced its death toll by 6% each year between 2001 and 2009. In 2001, 303 people died on Irish roads outside urban areas and motorways.

The percentage drop compares with up to 10% in Portugal, but less than 1% in Poland. In Romania and Bulgaria deaths have gone up by as much as 7%.

Across the EU rural road deaths account for 56% of all road fatalities. However, Ireland is one of a number of countries where rural road deaths account for more than 70% of the total.

Unsurprisingly the report finds exceeding the speed limit is widespread on rural roads.

“Addressing illegal speeding therefore requires a large number of non-compliers to change their behaviour,” it said.

It said that while on most rural roads in a majority of EU countries the speed limit is 90km/h or lower, in Ireland, Austria, Germany and Britain the general speed limit is set 100km/h or lower.

“According to Vision Zero and the Sustainable Safety approach, the speed limits should be determined by the road characteristics so that the forces in collisions do not exceed the level that the human body can tolerate. The speed limit should not exceed 70km/h on roads without median barrier and 100km/h on roads with median and side barriers.”

The report also found that enforcement levels in most EU countries are low on rural roads, partly because of the extent of the network and low traffic density.

“The perception by the rivers of the subjective risk of being caught – in particular speeding – needs to be increased on rural roads by increased police enforcement and a combination of fixed and mobile safety cameras.”