As the death toll on Irish roads continues to climb, RTÉ’s Prime Time has revealed that a GDPR issue is preventing local authorities from accessing collision statistics.
It’s been revealed that a legal issue within the RSA regarding data sharing has halted the uploading of collision information to an interactive map system for road engineers across the country.
RTE reports that most collision data is outdated to 2018.
A Prime Time Road Safety Special will air tonight, Thursday to look at what can be done to reverse the trend of road deaths as Ireland experiences its deadliest period in a decade.
Last year Ireland had the highest percentage increase of road deaths of any country in Europe, up 29% against the average of three pre-pandemic years.
Experts point to intoxicated driving, enforcement, and speeding distraction as contributing factors.
Speeding remains a major factor in road traffic fatalities, disproportionately affecting male drivers. 87% of drivers killed while driving above an appropriate speed were male, according to the latest RSA data.
RTÉ Prime Time reporter Jack McCarron examines further the fact disqualified drivers are failing to surrender their licences and permits. He speaks to the family of a man killed by a disqualified driver who are calling for a system overhaul after figures were recently highlighted. Between 2016 and 2022, over 25,000 drivers were ordered by courts to surrender their driving licenses or permits due to disqualification, more than 80% of disqualified drivers failed to comply. Separately, more than 95% of nearly 17,000 learner drivers who had their permits disqualified in the last seven years failed to surrender them.
The reports will also investigate local areas prone to frequent collisions, including the Duncannon Line, a 56km regional road in Wexford. Locally dubbed Ireland’s most ‘notorious’ road, it has gained attention due to its alarming rate of fatalities in recent years.
Watch this Prime Time Road Safety Special, Thursday April 11th, at 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and read the first of the digital reports this morning at RTÉ.ie/PrimeTime
