Road deaths - Speed just as bad as drink

In the past 10 years 1,107 people have been killed in speed-related deaths on the roads, and three times as many people have been seriously injured.

The cost to the economy has been around €350m. Speeding was the main contributory factor in 25% of all fatalities.

The dangers have often been obscured by the publicity in relation to drink driving. In many instances the deaths were caused by young inexperienced drivers who had not been drinking alcohol.

So much attention has been given to the drink-driving problem that these young people may have naively felt that they were capable of driving faster because they had not been drinking. There is a need for public recognition that driving at excessive speed is every bit as antisocial as drunk driving.

There should be no question of “boy racers” being glamorised among their peers, because their dangerous behaviour is as reprehensible as it is irresponsible. It should be treated the same way as drink driving.

This issue needs to be taken with the seriousness it deserves. The Government promised to introduce speed camera many years ago but that promise seems to have gone the same way as zero tolerance.