Road deaths - Action needed as guard drops

Motorists who complain that they cannot recall the last time they encountered a Garda checkpoint are not necessarily cranks. Neither are they alone.

Despite voluble protestations to the contrary by Justice Minister Alan Shatter, the perception remains that Garda manpower has been stretched beyond endurance and that, as a consequence, there are fewer patrols not only on the streets of our towns and cities but also on the roads.

After years of tremendous work by the gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in reducing the appalling loss of life on our roads, the graph has shifted upwards again.