Road deaths – Give gardaí essential resources

THERE is no mystery behind the inexorable rise in fatalities on the roads. Bluntly put, it comes down to Government failure to give gardaí sufficient resources to enforce the penalty points system.

If there is any mystery, it concerns the missing 2,000 extra gardaí faithfully promised by the Government in the run-up to the general election.

It also concerns the Government’s failure to set up a dedicated road traffic corps, even though this proven system is contributing significantly towards reducing fatalities in Britain and Australia.

Thanks to the “shambles” of the Coalition’s road safety strategy, fatalities have soared by 30% this year compared to the same period last year.

Given the scale of human tragedy involved, there is an onus on Government to provide the gardaí with the resources necessary for the penalty points system to be fully and properly policed. Until that happens, the carnage will continue to escalate.