A review of speed limits, continued enforcement of existing traffic laws and greater resources will all be needed to meet the ambitious ‘Vision Zero’ campaign of the Road Safety Authority for no road deaths or serious injuries on the roads by the year 2050 according to the chief executive of the RSA Sam Waide.
The renewed campaign is named after Mary Ward, the first person in the world to die on the roads in a road collision, Mr Waide told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
The original campaign had been launched in 2021 during Covid, he explained. The relaunch is a call on the public to work together “so that we can actually see our last road death in Ireland".
The relaunch is a refocus and a call on the public to change their behaviour. “One thing I would ask everyone, including myself, one thing to actually change and start the conversation with friends, with colleagues, with peers and wider family, start the conversation of what is that one thing you would change as an individual and together and collectively, Vision Zero is possible, and we can deliver it because we have successfully delivered reductions in the past, and we can do so again.”
“Disturbing and really concerning increase”
Mr Waide acknowledged that post-Covid there has been a “disturbing and really concerning increase” in collisions, serious injuries and fatalities. Behaviours have changed, so there is a need to “recalibrate” and refocus efforts to work together to change that behaviour.
The RSA has been working with the Government, agencies, departments to support the actions already delivered by the RSA.
Legislation to change speed limits will be a complex piece of work and the RSA and other agencies are fully committed to pushing through the necessary change, he said.
“We need the support from everyone to actually accelerate that change.”
There needs to be continued investment in road safety, continued enforcement to deter poor behaviour all of which will require investment and funding, he said.
By Vivienne Clarke
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