Drink-driving laws put pedestrians ‘in danger’

Dark roads and walking a lethal mix

Anton McNulty

A MAYO County Councillor believes that the new drink-driving legislation will mean more pedestrians dying on the country’s roads.
Ballinrobe-based Fianna FΡil councillor Damien Ryan made the comments at a recent meeting of the Roads and Transportation SPC, where the latest road-safety statistics were being debated.
Road Safety Officer for Mayo County Council, Noel Gibbons revealed at last week’s meeting that so far this year, 32 pedestrians have died on the country’s roads out of a total of 121 victims.
Cllr Ryan commented that Minister for Transport Shane Ross needed to look at the issue of pedestrian safety, as his new tough drink-driving legislation will have an impact on it.
Since October 26, any driver who is found over the drink-driving alcohol limit will automatically receive a driving disqualification. Previously they received only penalty points, depending on the level of alcohol.
“The one thing that is becoming more prevalent is the amount of pedestrians being knocked down. I would also question [that] Minister Ross’s recent legislation put through the Oireachtas will increase that figure further. The statistics in relation to pedestrians is increasing, and I have a feeling it will increase more,” he said.

Rural-transport gap
Speaking to The Mayo News after the meeting, Cllr Ryan explained that a better public-transport system should have been introduced in rural Ireland before or alongside the new legislation. He said he believes the rise in pedestrian deaths is due to people in rural Ireland being forced to walk along dark country roads.
“[The legislation] should not have been introduced until there was a subsidised public rural transport system in place for rural Ireland. Looking at the statistics there seems to be a trend in the number of pedestrian fatalities increasing, with a decrease in driver deaths … Where there is no alternative transport system, people will put their lives in danger by having to walk along dark country roads,” he said.

Road deaths down
Mr Gibbons also told the meeting that the number of deaths on the roads in Mayo was down, with seven recorded fatalities compared to eleven for the same period 12 months ago. Nationally, the figure of 121 is down on 130 deaths compared to this time last year. The breakdown of those who died included 53 drivers, 32 pedestrians, 18 passengers, eleven motorcyclists and seven cyclists.
With the changing of the clocks, the Road Safety Authority recently launched its ‘Winter Ready’ and ‘Be Safe Be Seen’ campaigns, which will see members of the Garda Traffic Corps carry hi-vis jackets in all their cars to hand out to the public to wear.