McEntee: 'Behavioural change' needed as road death numbers rise

Helen McEntee said the increase in road deaths was 'unacceptable'. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said there is a need for “behavioural change” on Irish roads following the recent spike in road deaths.

She said there has been an "unacceptable rise in road deaths over the last two years", which she said was "devastating".

Up to 9am on Thursday, 63 people had died on Irish roads this year, compared to 49 at the same time last year. 

Ms McEntee said behaviours on Irish roads "have completely changed”.

About 30% of the recent road deaths have been young people under the age of 30, Ms McEntee said, adding that “enforcement is absolutely key” in tackling this issue.

Six thousand motorists were stopped for drink or drug driving over the Easter bank holiday weekend, Ms McEntee told Cork's 96FM.

“That was done by ordinary members. That was not the checkpoints on the road. 1% of people who are stopped for drink and drug driving are stopped at checkpoints.

The majority of drink-driving cases are detected by gardaí who pick up on signs, such as someone not driving properly or acting “erratically”, Ms McEntee said.

There has to be an increase in technology. So we know in Australia for example, if you have a mobile phone in your hand or on your lap or your passenger has one, there are cameras all over the country on our roads and they detect that.

Ireland has introduced several average-speed cameras and static cameras in order to combat speeding on our roads.

“It's a start. It's not as high a number as we want, but we will get to a higher number,” she said.