IIF concern over road death numbers

The Irish Insurance Federation remains worried by the unacceptable number of deaths on Irish roads and has called for stringent enforcement of the penalty points system.

Speaking to a joint oireachtas committee on transport, the IIF said that - even though fatality figures were down from this time last year - it nonetheless detects a worrying trend in the number of deaths on our roads in recent months.

According to Insurance Federation chief Mike Kemp, drivers’ fears of incurring points will fade rapidly unless the points system is enforced rigorously and drivers realise they’re under constant threat of losing their licences.

He pointed out how a recent survey revealed that 80% of people feel that Garda enforcement levels are too low.
In response, junior transport minister Jim McDaid has claimed that speeding drivers have a one in four chance of being caught.

The reverse of this is that motorists have a 75% chance of speeding undetected. This is a huge safety net, and is surely unacceptable.