Report slams road safety measures

Ireland's poor record on road safety is being highlighted in a report due to be published today by the European Transport Safety Council.

The report puts Ireland seventh from the bottom in a ranking system based on the progress made in reducing road deaths between 2001 and 2005.

It says Ireland, along with Poland, Lithuania and Hungary, made no noteworthy progress during this period.

France is at the top of the table with a 35% drop in fatalities, which the ETSC said was due to to strong political leadership and measures to improve compliance with road safety laws.