Speeches
Speech by Fiona O'Malley on Road Traffic Bill
Speech by Fiona O'Malley TD on the Road Traffic Bill 2004, Second Stage, Tuesday 9th November 2004
I welcome this bill as the latest piece of legislation in the sequence which will support our road safety Strategy. While the main content is to facilitate the introduction of metric speed limits, the bill offers an opportunity to reflect on road use and practice and to perhaps adopt a few practices which would serve to improve motorist behaviouer and driver safety.
There are 4 points I would like to make in relation to the bill these include:
· Signage
· Administraton of the Penalty Points system & the penalty points system generally
· Resourcing
· Additional items the minister may wish to consider to improve the overall effectiveness of the bill
Signage
Consistency and clarity should be the hallmark of the new signage system. As it stands only an Irish person could comprehend our signs with its unique blend of the metric with the imperial. This confusion will hopefully be addressed but it will take quite sometime before all speed signs throughout the country are replaced- to mention nothing if directional signs.
Section 12 of the bill deals with the transitional arrangements for the introduction of the metric speed system. The minister in his speech stated that “the process for metrication will be completed by 20 January 05,” During the transitional phase signs in use will include speeds of 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 100 & 120. How is the hard-pressed motorist to know if a sign relates to KMPH or MPH?
Road speeds need to be consistent and reasonable. Measures within the bill to remove the general speed limit and apply a limit, which relates to the standard of road is to be commended. These rates need to be reasonable and appropriate so that motorists will observe them.
Section 17 of the bill is welcome indeed. This allows for the outsourcing of the administration of the Penalty points system to persons other than the Gardai. This will realise valuable garda time from administrative duties.
The Penalty Points system has had the potential to change driving behaviour and just to what extent is evidenced by the figures for accident fatalities and admissions for spinal cord injuries which plummeted in the period after the introduction of the system: 84 fatalities in the first 4 months under the PP system compared to a previous monthly average of 39 per month. Admissions for spinal cord injuries were down by 50% in this period. Regrettably this good start has not been sustained. Why?
Enforcement is at the heart of it. Compliance was high at the introduction if the PP system because motorists perceived that detection and prosecution were a very real and present possibility. If properly resourced, both with technology and a dedicated traffic corps, the road safety strategy will be able to achieve its target reducing fatality levels from a current average of 32 per month to 25.
Additional measures which the minister may like to consider including in the bill are flashing amber lights to permit drivers turn left on a red light. This measure is in operation in America and could very easily be introduced here. It would facilitate freer flowing traffic.
To illustrate my point the minister may like to turn off at the Wyattville junction next time he is on the way home on the N11 and drive into Wyatville Park. Residents here are persecuted with 5 sets of traffic lights in a very short distance. Given this state of affairs, the traffic lights trap them in their estate for ages. A flashing amber light, which would permit motorists to turn left, would avoid unnecessary delays. This traffic signal could be put to very good effect in other situations throughout the country. The minister may like to give this suggestion some consideration.
Another measure I would like to see put into this bill if it is appropriate is the outlawing of 24-hour bus lanes. Laws and regulations if they are to be effective must be reasonable.