Call for free driving lessons to curb road deaths

Teenagers across the island of Ireland should be given free driving lessons in school to help reduce the number of young people dying on the roads, Sinn Féin claimed today.

The party’s All-Ireland Road Safety strategy also called for speed limits to be harmonised into kilometres in Northern Ireland and for a cross-border taskforce on so-called joyriding.

Newly-elected Senator Pearse Doherty said many deaths on Irish roads are caused by inadequate roads, poor driver education and an outdated provisional licence system.

“So far this year 264 people have been killed across the island and seven lives were lost on last Sunday alone.

“Tragically these road deaths were not inevitable as most road accidents are preventable,” he said.

The 28-year-old was elected to the Agricultural Panel of the Republic’s Seanad last month after a voting pact with the Labour Party. His native Co Donegal has one of the worst road death rates in the country.

He added: “Ireland’s roads are amongst some of the most unsafe roads in Europe. This is down to a number of factors including our old road network which has to cope with levels of traffic that were never envisaged when it was built and insufficient public transport particularly in rural areas.

The strategy was also launched by Northern Ireland Assembly spokesman on road safety, MLA Cathal Boylan and Ogra Shinn Féin member Peadar de Bluit.

The key proposals in the document include:

:: An All-Ireland approach to road safety including increased ministerial and departmental co-operation

:: More night-time public transport options, especially in rural areas

:: An upgrade of all classes of roads to minimum national standards to be set by a new all-island Road Safety Authority

:: Change speed limits to kilometres and harmonise road signs and the penalty points system

:: Revamp the provisional licence system in the Republic

:: Include driver training and road safety programmes in the school curriculum and introduce driving lessons in transition year

:: Make formal driver training compulsory for licensing

:: A zero limit for alcohol and drugs

:: An all-Ireland taskforce on joyriding

:: Mandatory alcohol and drug testing following all traffic accidents causing injury or death

:: Road Safety Officers must be hired by all local authorities

:: Exempt safety features in cars from VRT.

:: Mount garda patrols in areas where traffic violations are most common

Mr Doherty added: “There can be no doubt also that the current existence of two separate and incompatible road safety systems on the island is creating dangerous and hazardous conditions in the border areas.

“The harmonisation of speed limits, road signs and other safety measures is not only essential but simple common sense.

“A culture of joyriding or death driving, among young people is also contributing to the excessive death rates on our roads as is the culture of speeding and the lack of an updated driver education, testing and licensing system.”