Penalty points hailed for helping cut road deaths

The introduction of the penalty points system contributed to a 18% drop in the number of people killed on the road, safety experts said today.

Figures from the Economic and Social Research Institute and the National Roads Authority show there was also a 17% decrease in the number of people discharged from hospital following road injuries between 2001 and 2003.

Chairman of the National Injury Prevention Committee (NIPC) Martin Heffernan said a drop in the number of deaths and injuries on the roads corresponded to the launch of penalty points in 2003.

But Mr Heffernan warned that numbers were creeping back up again and that changing people’s behaviour was key to preventing accidents both on roads and in the home.

“It’s all down to behaviour, changing attitudes and behaviour in order to prevent injuries,” he said.

“Public awareness is very important,” he added.

“If people become aware of safety issues and the right things to do we can reduce accidents.”

He said that, for example, although 75% of home fires happen in the bedroom or living room, most people tended to fit smoke alarms in the hallway and many rarely checked their alarm was working.

The committee is also looking for the Government to begin work on an Injury Prevention Strategy, which will co-ordinate efforts between a number of agencies to develop a national strategy.

The NIPC is hosting a conference in Killarney this Friday to look at ways to change behaviour and attitudes to safety in order to reduce the number of accidents.

Speakers from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Britain, the US and Canada will be addressing the conference on road, fire, child and older-person safety.