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SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS have been the most dangerous days of the week on Irish roads so far this year.
Over the past six months, 20 road users died on a Sunday, making it the worst day of the week on Irish roads for fatalities.
These figures were published in the Road Safety Authority’s mid-year review of road safety yesterday.
A total of 14 road deaths occurred on Irish roads so far this year on a Monday.
Overall, more than half of fatalities (58%) happened from Saturday to Monday in 2017.
It was announced that, as of 30 June this year, there have been 72 fatal collisions on Irish roads this year, resulting in 77 deaths.
The report also showed a sharp increase in cyclist deaths on Irish roads. The number has increased by 100% to 10 from five during the same period in 2016.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, the RSA’s director of road safety Michael Rowland said:
“The significant increase in cyclist deaths and casualties so far this year is particularly concerning. Cyclists are among our most vulnerable road users, yet many drivers didn’t demonstrate enough caution and awareness when sharing the road with cyclists.
Drivers need to pay greater attention to their speed and provide adequate space when passing cyclists.
The RSA issued a stark warning to all road users that up to 78 more people could die on Irish roads before the end of the year if the current trend continues.
Rowland said:
“We analysed all of the figures and what we found was that weekends tend to be the time when a lot of fatalities occur.
Usually people are out socalising in the early hours of the morning – so a lot of fatalities occur early on a Sunday morning or late on a Sunday, going into Monday morning.
Time of the day
Perhaps unexpectedly, the highest number of fatalities (11) on Irish roads happened during the afternoons between 2-4pm.
This was closely followed by 6-8pm (10 deaths) and 8-10am (nine deaths).
One in four (25%) fatalities so far this year occurred between the hours of 12-4pm.
There were 15 fatalities between midnight and 6am (19%), and in line with the statistics above, the majority of these (11) happened on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Month of the year
April had the lowest number of fatalities so far this year, with a total of 8 road deaths recorded. This was followed by May with 9 road deaths.
In contrast to this, 20 people lost their lives in March, which was the most dangerous month so far this year, while 15 lost their lives in January.
The average number of deaths per month stands at 12.8.
To ensure the number of road fatalities begins to lower, Rowland told TheJournal.ie that the RSA is working closely with gardaí to implement better road safety awareness across the country.
“We work very closely with the gardaí in terms of their enforcement activity. We also work very closely with our analysis unit looking at where collisions are occurring and using that research and analysis to inform enforcement, so that the enforcement is targeted,” he said.
Road user types
The review found that driver and passenger fatalities represented almost three in every five fatalities so far in 2017, at 58%.
This was a decrease on 2016, with 5 less driver deaths and 6 less passenger deaths.
‘Name and shame’
The RSA review came just a day after Minister for Transport Shane Ross announced plans to introduce a system for “naming and shaming” motorists who are disqualified for drink driving by the end of the year.
On Monday, the minister published his new drink-driving Bill that will see an automatic three-month suspension handed down to those caught with 51-80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Currently those caught within that limit are given penalty points.
Yesterday, Ross told reporters that while the decrease is welcomed, there is no reason for the gardaí, the RSA or the government to “pat ourselves on the back” for anything that has been done over the past six months.
There are people who are going to be completely and unnecessarily mowed down or killed on the roads. They could be relations of mine or yours. They’ll be relations of someone.
“It’s fair to say this is a bittersweet day.”
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well as long as DOB doesn’t get it,
He may be a friend of DOB, some digging needs to be to be done on this,and not the water meter kind.
Guess who does all the UPC installations
Do you have Sky or UPC. Doesn’t make a difference actually becuase they work for both company’s along with the ESB. Does this mean now that you are going to cut off your electricity becuase of the dreaded Dennis O Briens company works for them.
What’s your point Henry? The man has got his fingers stuck in as many pies as possible. He was deemed corrupt by the Moriarty Tribunal. We are entitled to shout “Stop”.
If Liberty want to buy it, it has to be passed by the regulator but if DOB Wants to buy it, it doesn’t ??
Where does it say that it doesn’t have to be passed to the regulator if INM buys it? Surely that would be MORE likely to happen given INM already own such a large array of media outlets?
Where does it say it does have to be passed.
They bought Tv3 for 265m in 2006. 265 million. LoL.
upc has to have the worst customer service I have ever encountered. they might as well just call over and slap you in tbe face. between 9 and 1 and 1 a d 6 of course
I am sure Denis O’Brien will get first shout as is normal when doing business in Ireland.
Anyone but Dob
all assets should be seized from d o Brien, and he should be banned from this country.
Hope this is the case as DOB also has his eyes set on tv3 also reports are saying
It pays to read the whole article before commenting…
“Meanwhile, Independent News and Media (INM), in which billionaire Denis O’Brien is the biggest shareholder, has also been flagged as a possible TV3 buyer after the company said it planned to spend up to €100 million on acquisitions.
However the media company has since described the move as “highly unlikely” and added there hadn’t been any talks between INM and TV3′s owners.”
If INM have €100m to spend and TV3 was worth €265m in 2006, it seems unlikely they’d be able to afford it?
I can proudly say, I don’t watch anything on that awful channel. TV at its absolute worst.
It’s better than utv
Only slightly. Utv Ireland is terrible though.
Denis O Brien already has too much power
John Malone is as bad as DOB! Why the sudden interest in tv3 you may ask? It’s the only tv station that is not run with a hidden agenda and is not controlled by the powers to be! The main reason TV3 is wanted is because of Vincent Browne! He is outspoken has no axe to grind and puts irish politicians through their paces! The rest of the media are just a front for the government and the powers to be to tell the people only what they need to hear and hide the reality of what is really going on! As I said JM and DOB are of the same breed! Nuff said!!
surely DOB shouldn’t be allowed to acquire this … narrowing competition etc.
Did you read the article? INM are not looking to purchase tv3.
I hope Donald Trump buys it, fires Vincent brown an replaces him with a syndication of Glenn Beck’s show.
Vincent Browne is the single best thing about TV3. He’s rare in Irish journalism in that he treats politicians of all parties (and none) in the same manner.
trump tv. it will just be about barac obama and weather he is an american citizen. right wing news glenn beck the guy who tries to legitimise the war on Palestine. no thank you between thegun loving texas ranger and the zionist. jesus they would do your head in give me Vincent Brown any day of the week no hidden agenda.
Dreadful TV station. Either that or the programmes are not aimed at my geographic. Most people I know don’t watch TV anyway. They are all over the Internet. The television era is coming to an end. The golden age has been way behind us for some time now. All things must pass.
Sell it might get soaps in HD
That sentence makes no sense!
TV3? …is that still on – air? ?
have your say