Assistant Commissioner on Roads Policing Paula Hillman said that enforcing road strategy is just one element in reducing deaths on Irish roads, as a speed of 155km/h in a 120km/h zone was recorded on National Slow Down Day.
Assistant Commissioner Hillman told Newstalk Breakfast that enforcement on it's own, whilst a “significant” part of road safety “will not achieve all the reduction that we need".
"I think we really need to look at certain areas like environment and road design: what are we doing when we identify blackspots?.. and also education.”
She said that August was a “tragic month” on Irish roads.
"Internally we send out operational orders for the likes of today... and when I signed that operational order on the 15th of August, it said there had been 105 road deaths on Irish roads. Today, two weeks later, it's 127 - and I think that is really stark.
"It's a reminder for all of us, not just on Slow Down Day, but every day of the year to slow down. Today had been planned in terms of our return to school campaign, but I think what we've seen on Irish roads this year, and especially in August, it makes it even more relevant today."
Assistant Commissioner Hillman said that the proposed changes on penalty points are to be welcomed.
"I know there are some changes, I know the Minister has announced changes to legislation. We will enforce the legislation that Government implements.
"I think anything that reduces road deaths, anything in terms of consequences of enforcement, and if it reduces road deaths is to be welcomed.”
In the first two hours of National Slow Down Day, GoSafe checked the speed of 15,786 vehicles and detected 50 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit.
Examples of high speeds include:
• 134km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N11 Timmore Newcastle Wicklow• 130km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N21 Dooneen Castleisland Kerry• 155km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 Killavally Tyrrellspass Westmeath• 128km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N60 Holywell Upper Ballyhaunis Mayo• 76km/h in a 60km/h Zone on the Dublin Road Cavan Cavan• 71km/h in a 60km/h Zone on the Monaghan Road Castleblayney Monaghan• 139km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M18 Ballyline Crusheen Clare• 135km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M1 Lusk Dublin• 131km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 Glen Athlone Westmeath
Enforcement of road regulations is the key to reducing crashes according to Conor Faughnan, veteran commentator on road issues and chief executive of the Royal Ireland Automobile Club.
Mr Faughnan, who is a former director of AA Ireland, told Morning Ireland, on RTÉ Radio 1, that it was “encouraging” to “at last” see road safety high on “Government radar".
“It has been a little bit of a neglected policy area for the last number of years. The Garda Traffic Corp is perennially under strength. That has been allowed to almost wither on the vine over the last number of years. They simply haven’t been able to deliver the level of policing that is required.
"If Government are now treating that as a priority that is a good thing. It has taken of course this disastrous road safety year to push the issue up the Government priority list and I think that is a little disappointing.”
