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Road Safety

Details of Ireland's latest Road Safety Strategy, and how Wicklow County Council is improving road safety on a local basis.

Ireland’s fourth Road Safety Strategy builds on the progress and understanding provided by the first three strategies - 1998–2002, 2004–2006, and 2007–2012 - with the objective of sustainably improving safety on Irish roads. This new document, entitled Closing the Gap, covers the period 2013 to 2020.

Significant progress has already been achieved since Ireland first began to pursue a strategic approach to road safety in 1998. Roads deaths are down by 65.7% (1997-2012) and Ireland is now the fifth safest country in the European Union for road collision fatalities per million population. This achievement can be set against an increase in the number of cars of 66%. When the costs of fatalities and serious injuries are analysed, the financial benefits to society are conservatively estimated at in excess of €1bn per annum.

At a local level, Wicklow County Council is deeply committed to providing education for all road users to ensure that they are aware of best practice in road safety. The Road Safety Officer promotes road safety within Co. Wicklow by:

  • Promoting national initiatives at a local level
  • Visiting primary and secondary schools to give talks
  • Inviting instructors who provide specialised road safety training to the schools
  • Facilitating the setting up of new road safety programmes such as the Walking Bus
  • Assessing traffic hazards at school locations in conjunction with the area engineers and providing solutions by means of flashing lights, ramps and requesting enforcement when necessary
  • Managing the School Traffic Warden schemes

For further information contact:

Linda Healy

Wicklow Road Safety Officer

Bray Civic Centre, Main Street, Bray. Co. Wicklow

Phone: 01 2744900