Drink driving - Outright ban may be the only answer

GIVEN the Christmas blitz against the scourge of drink driving, a crack-down launched by gardaí in a blaze of publicity, it defies credulity that more than 100 motorists have been arrested at the height of the festive season.

It is moot whether the country’s drink-driving malaise is down to recklessness or sheer stupidity, the stark reality is that people up and down the country are flouting the law every night of the week. This despite tougher garda enforcement of legislation aimed at reducing the appalling carnage on Ireland’s roads.

According to provisional statistics from the Garda press office, 51 incidents of suspected drink driving offences were recorded on Wednesday alone, topping up the 50 who failed breath tests on St Stephen’s Day and Christmas Day when they were stopped at garda check points.

Illustrating the sheer scale of the crisis, around 375 suspected drink drivers are still being arrested on a weekly basis.

While the death toll from road accidents is falling, thanks mainly to the garda clamp down, the inescapable fact is that far too many drivers are turning a deaf ear to the anti-drink driving message.

It’s disappointing to note that the Road Safety Authority anticipates it will take up to six or eight months before the weekly average comes down. Perhaps a naming and shaming policy would help.

Unfortunately, years of Government neglect had the effect of undermining its own road safety policies. That was all the more regrettable because initially such measures as the penalty points system were working.

Having fallen into disrepute, as Ireland sank to the bottom of the EU safety league, Government policies are finally being pressed home. Yet, as the New Year looms, the 2006 road accident death toll has reached 364 following four more deaths on the roads over the Christmas holidays.

Without any doubt, many drivers pay little heed to the cold columns of statistics which daily chart the loss of life in accidents caused mainly by speeding or drink-driving or both.

Irresponsible drivers remain undeterred by the pain and suffering of grieving families. Throwing caution to the wind, they think naught of the grave risks inherent in drinking and driving.

In a domino effect, the current garda blitz is having a profound impact on the social and economic pattern of Irish life, especially in rural areas where public transport is sadly lacking and where pubs are going out of business. Instead of dropping into the local for a pint, more people are drinking at home.

But with gardaí carrying out mandatory breath tests at breakfast-time check-points, the risk is that drivers who, for safety reasons, had a few drinks at home, now face the possibility of being arrested on the way to work the next morning.

According to a garda spokesperson, check points will continue to be set up on roads around the country over the New Year in a bid to tackle drink-driving and curb speeding.

As things stand, sooner rather than later a total ban on drinking and driving will have to be introduced by an administration forced into action by a crisis that can only be eradicated through no-nonsense enforcement of the law.

No doubt, some elements would resent such draconian measures. But the Government would be assured of broad public support for implementing much tougher policies.

At the end of the day, an outright ban is probably the only realistic way to root out the scourge of drink driving so as to drastically reduce the carnage on Ireland’s roads.