Safer roads - A welcome statistic

FEBRUARY was the safest month on Irish roads since records began.

Though this welcome statistic is little consolation to the families and friends of the 16 people who lost their lives on our roads during the shortest month it is indeed worth acknowledging.

Not only was it the safest month since records began 50 years ago, the death toll was exactly half of what it was in February 2008. The number of fatalities for 2009 is 21 less than in the same period in 2008.

Last year saw the lowest number of road deaths (279) since records began and we are now ranked in the top 10 EU countries for road safety. It just shows how things can be improved if we put our mind to it.