Road deaths

[armaghniac]

Interesting stats

https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/ireland-road-safety.pdf

Given the increase in the number of cars and the number of KM driven per year, it's amazing that road deaths are 1/3 of where they were 30 years ago

For refernnce:

https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state#:~:text=Posted%20May%202023.-,Fatal%20crash%20totals,Island%20to%2026.2%20in%20Mississippi.

That's in America, Irish roads are much safer than the US and at their lowest deaths were around one tenth of when I learned to drive given that the population had gone up by two-thirds.

Drink driving  would have been more of a feature them and the quality of the main roads has improved. Secondary roads still cause most deaths.

The deaths are on secondary roads, but it is bad driving that causes most deaths.

[tyssam5]

Interesting stats

https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/ireland-road-safety.pdf

Given the increase in the number of cars and the number of KM driven per year, it's amazing that road deaths are 1/3 of where they were 30 years ago

For refernnce:

https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state#:~:text=Posted%20May%202023.-,Fatal%20crash%20totals,Island%20to%2026.2%20in%20Mississippi.

That's in America, Irish roads are much safer than the US and at their lowest deaths were around one tenth of when I learned to drive given that the population had gone up by two-thirds.

Drink driving  would have been more of a feature them and the quality of the main roads has improved. Secondary roads still cause most deaths.

The deaths are on secondary roads, but it is bad driving that causes most deaths.

Life in the US, see crazy driving on the freeways all the time. But on similar roads to Irish ritual ones I rarely see the kind of mad overtaking and speeding you would get back home.

[seafoid]

Interesting stats

https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/ireland-road-safety.pdf

Given the increase in the number of cars and the number of KM driven per year, it's amazing that road deaths are 1/3 of where they were 30 years ago

For refernnce:

https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state#:~:text=Posted%20May%202023.-,Fatal%20crash%20totals,Island%20to%2026.2%20in%20Mississippi.

That's in America, Irish roads are much safer than the US and at their lowest deaths were around one tenth of when I learned to drive given that the population had gone up by two-thirds.

Drink driving  would have been more of a feature them and the quality of the main roads has improved. Secondary roads still cause most deaths.

The deaths are on secondary roads, but it is bad driving that causes most deaths.

There are still many dangerous features such as unmarked junctions, very sharp bends, intensive  use by agricultural machinery. This is also relevant.

[whitey]

Another thing to be considered when comparing todays stats with from those of 1990 are  the safety features that now come standard on many cars

Airbags, Anti Lock Brakes, Blind Spot monitoring. Lane assist, predictive Cruise control just ti name a few.

[manfromdelmonte]

Phones are a huge issue.

[seafoid]

The road death toll peaked at 568 in 1978. It fell to 130 in 2021 and rose to 155 the year after. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_road_traffic_accidents_deaths_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland_by_year

Most of the fall from 1978 to 2021 is the result of a lot of work on mitigants such as seatbelts, drink driving vigilance and all the other stuff discussed above.
But that is over and now it is going to mean a lot of work from both the driving community and the Govt to address the more difficult and probably more expensive risks remaining.

[Milltown Row2]

Phones are a huge issue.

You did have to question how people are still using phones today when 99% of cars are equipped with Bluetooth technology to allow you to chat hands free, I can even text hands free should I require it and the phone even reads out the text!!

I was done about 15 years ago or more, phone in hand driving, the phone was never in hands again, I think texting is the biggest distraction

[seafoid]

Phones are a huge issue.

You did have to question how people are still using phones today when 99% of cars are equipped with Bluetooth technology to allow you to chat hands free, I can even text hands free should I require it and the phone even reads out the text!!

I was done about 15 years ago or more, phone in hand driving, the phone was never in hands again, I think texting is the biggest distraction

I agree. anything that reduces the concentration on driving increases the risk. Texting requires the concentration that should be on the road.

[armaghniac]

There are still many dangerous features such as unmarked junctions, very sharp bends, intensive  use by agricultural machinery. This is also relevant.

If the government would also state a complete review of road signs, road markings and a restriction on youths driving machinery then their present initiative would be more credible.

[seafoid]

There are still many dangerous features such as unmarked junctions, very sharp bends, intensive  use by agricultural machinery. This is also relevant.

If the government would also state a complete review of road signs, road markings and a restriction on youths driving machinery then their present initiative would be more credible.

It needs a system response. Everybody knows at least one person who died in a road accident.
Provisional licences also need to be tightened up.

I would love to see an analysis of the numbers broken down by cause.

[whitey]

Parents also need to step in here

Why would you allow a young and inexperienced driver get a BMW or Audi?  Those types of cars are way too powerful for the roads you find in rural Ireland

[seafoid]

Parents also need to step in here

Why would you allow a young and inexperienced driver get a BMW or Audi?  Those types of cars are way too powerful for the roads you find in rural Ireland

Great point.
Our 20 year old wanted to drive on the motorway in our car which far more powerful than his. He got up to 150 kph with the family in the car. That was the last time.
If you look at a mortality table 18-23 year old males  are more likely to die than 30 year olds, because of accidents. It's different for females.

[AustinPowers]

Parents also need to step in here

Why would you allow a young and inexperienced driver get a BMW or Audi?  Those types of cars are way too powerful for the roads you find in rural Ireland

Great point.
Our 20 year old wanted to drive on the motorway in our car which far more powerful than his. He got up to 150 kph with the family in the car. That was the last time.
If you look at a mortality table 18-23 year old males  are more likely to die than 30 year olds, because of accidents. It's different for females.

Young women drivers can  fairly   give it the boot as  well.

The amount of parents  who I  heard have forked out thousands.  upon thousands for  a new or newish car to their  17 or 18  year old who just passed their  test is  absolutely vmental.  It's like having a new updated mobile. Wee johnny can't be seen with an  older  motor. He'll get teased and it'll affect his mental health. Let's  take out a second mortgage  and get a new bmw or Mercedes. A week later Johnny has wrapped it  round a tree. 

[seafoid]

Parents also need to step in here

Why would you allow a young and inexperienced driver get a BMW or Audi?  Those types of cars are way too powerful for the roads you find in rural Ireland

Great point.
Our 20 year old wanted to drive on the motorway in our car which far more powerful than his. He got up to 150 kph with the family in the car. That was the last time.
If you look at a mortality table 18-23 year old males  are more likely to die than 30 year olds, because of accidents. It's different for females.

Young women drivers can  fairly   give it the boot as  well.

The amount of parents  who I  heard have forked out thousands.  upon thousands for  a new or newish car to their  17 or 18  year old who just passed their  test is  absolutely vmental.  It's like having a new updated mobile. Wee johnny can't be seen with an  older  motor. He'll get teased and it'll affect his mental health. Let's  take out a second mortgage  and get a new bmw or Mercedes. A week later Johnny has wrapped it  round a tree.

Of course there are women who don't give a f**k but the incidence is higher in the young male population.
Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do and they don't understand this.
I was really uncomfortable at 150. There is no margin if something goes wrong.

[thewobbler]

Parenting and car use is one of the more bewildering aspects of modern Ireland.

In nearly every other aspect of life we now mother them to death; don't actually let them grow up until they've hit mid twenties.

But when it comes to driving, it's a case of get them going as early as possible, buy them a car, fill it with fuel, get them a personalised number plate, and allow them to drive all around the country with drunken mates in the wee hours of the weekend.