Students targeted in road safety campaign
Students are to be targeted in a new road safety blitz with 40,000 leaflets handed out at campuses around the country, it was revealed today.
And in an added effort to cut road deaths, Rally Ireland has lined up a team of experienced drivers to give talks and explain the perils of speeding.
In a five-year partnership between the Union of Students in Ireland and the Road Safety Authority pocket guides to staying safe and warnings about the biggest threats on the road have been compiled.
Pat the Cope Gallagher, Minister of State for Transport, said the campaign was a positive step to make our roads safer.
“Young people are one group of road users who are particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, every county in Ireland has seen several of its young people become victims of road carnage. What a needless waste of life,” he said.
The guide has statistics on where the dangers lie.
Speeding: Over 40% of fatal accidents are caused by excessive or inappropriate speed, which makes speeding the single largest factor contributing to road deaths in Ireland.
Driver Fatigue: Up to 20% of fatal crashes could be linked to driver fatigue.
Alcohol: Drink-driving is a factor in over one third of all fatal crashes in Ireland and almost a quarter of drivers killed were under the legal limit when they died.
Prescribed and non-prescribed drugs: One in five people have driven a vehicle shortly after taking drugs. Drug driving is as dangerous as drink driving.
Seatbelts: Without a seatbelt, three out of four people will be killed or seriously injured in a 50kph (30mph) head-on crash.
Mobile Phones: You are four times more likely to crash if you are using a mobile phone while driving.
So far this year 110 people have died on the roads.
Noel Brett, RSA chief executive, said it was what is happening on the roads is no accident.
“The root problem being: excessive and inappropriate speed, driving while intoxicated whether through drugs or alcohol, driver fatigue, failure to wear seatbelts and failure to recognise vulnerable road users,” Mr Brett said.
“The aim of this partnership is to educate students in the rules of the road, to promote road safety and to gain a better insight into the actions of this high risk group.”
The campaign was initiated by the USI and president Colm Hamrogue said he hoped the partnership would drive down the number of young people killed or injured on our roads.
“As well as investigating the attitudes and behaviours of student road users, we will be campaigning for improved awareness of safe driving practices, Mr Hamrogue said.
“Anyone who drives a car bears a huge responsibility to be safe and responsible every time they get behind a wheel. This is the message we need to get out to students, now.”
