Road carnage: it’s time Brennan saw the light
All of this while using EU ‘harmonisation’ as an excuse to delay a simple measure that according to their 1998 road safety policy would have prevented many road deaths and injuries?
The compulsory use of daytime driving lights is already used successfully in other EU states (which did not wait for ‘harmonisation’). The ’98 road safety policy stated that use of daytime driving lights could save between 5% and 45% of road fatalities depending on latitude.
Allowing for Ireland’s unpredictable weather it is reasonable to assume that we would experience a reduction in fatalities and injuries at least similar to that already achieved in Scandinavia.
This means a reduction of about 12% in road deaths, or approximately 50 persons every year (equating to about 250 road deaths over the last five years).
This measure seems to be easy to implement and is virtually cost free. It is also immediately visible and enforceable. Six years ago the Government stated that 88% of Irish drivers would support it. There is an enormous body of experience in northern Europe that could be called on to help if necessary.
Seamus Brennan’s department needs to stop day-dreaming about ‘harmonisation’ and implement a policy which will save many lives.
Donal Fellows
1 Douglas Close
Douglas
Cork
