Tackling speeding drivers: Slow down and save more lives

Minister for Transport Shane Ross has faced almost as much criticism since he joined the Cabinet as he offered some of his government predecessors during his former incarnation as a journalist.

There may a certain sauce-for-the-gander karma about this, but much of the criticism directed at Mr Ross is, unfortunately, justified.

However, his efforts to make our roads safer for everyone, by tackling drivers who continue to ignore speed limits, are laudable and justified.

The great cultural change in road safety has been driven by tighter legislation and this proposal, to fine drivers on a sliding scale, depending on by how much they exceed speed limits, is the latest example.

These measures, often resisted, have reduced road deaths by 75% since 1972 — fatalities have fallen from 640 to 158.

The Road Safety Authority believes that 20% of crashes are a result of driving too fast, which is the primary cause of road deaths.

However, despite those findings, a hard core of drivers persistently ignore speed limits.

There is a solid case for challenging this behaviour, especially in urban areas, where speeding drivers jeopardise pedestrians.

If hit by a car travelling at 50km/h, a pedestrian runs a 50% chance of being killed, but that risk rises to 90% if that vehicle is travelling just 10km/h faster.

These proposals are well-intentioned, but unless they are policed properly they will, like so many laws, be pointless.