Church leader calls for new measures to cut road deaths

The age at which young people begin driving on the North’s roads was challenged by the Presbyterian Moderator today.

Forcing learner drivers to take a year’s instruction and restricting the power of cars they drive should also be considered as a way to cut the death toll, according to Dr David Clarke.

A total of 95 people have died on local roads this year and Dr Clarke told a meeting of the Northern Ireland Road Safety Council in Armagh City radical steps should be considered.

“Representatives of the insurance industry suggested a fortnight ago that young drivers should be required to undertake a full year of driving instruction; and they contended that such a restriction would reduce road deaths by more than 500 per annum in the United Kingdom. Yet the suggestion was met with a chorus of disapproval," he said.

“The insurers are to be commended for that initiative; but we might also question whether a person under, say, age 25 should be allowed to insure a car above a certain engine size.

“And should we not also be asking the fundamental question about the age at which it is appropriate to begin to drive?” The minister was speaking during the council’s annual service in St Patrick’s Cathedral.

A disproportionate number of young people are among road casualties and fatalities every year with alcohol, speed and poor driving the chief causes.

Driving instructors have urged the government to consider measures like raising the speed limit for learner drivers from 40mph, arguing current limits don’t breed awareness of real driving conditions on motorways and dual carriageways.

Police regularly hold anti-speeding operations and there are a number of fixed speed cameras in the province.

At least one person a month is killed because they are not wearing seatbelts and the DoE and the Irish Transport Department have a joint advertising initiative to encourage use.

Dr Clarke added drivers aged 17-24 were four times as likely to be involved in an accident and urged a radical rethink from all associated with road safety.

“We will all agree that the loss of life on our roads, and the shattering impact of road accidents on our community and our economy is totally unacceptable; but if so, are we prepared to do something about it.

“All of us here today are serious about this problem; but I genuinely question whether society as a whole is as concerned as we feel it ought to be.”