Byrne ‘wrong’ on road fatalities

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has rubbished criticism by the head of the Road Safety Authority that motorists are becoming more complacent about their driving behaviour due to reduced garda enforcement of road traffic legislation.

Mr Shatter claimed yesterday that Gay Byrne, the RSA chairman, was “wrong” to suggest that an increase in road fatalities in 2013 is linked to Garda enforcement levels and the public perception about fewer gardaí on the roads.

“Statistics are not always interpreted correctly,” the minister remarked, adding that the number of people seriously injured in road collisions had decreased this year, despite the increase in fatalities.