New Year's resolution needed to reduce young deaths on our roads

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 28th Dec 2006

Alliance Spokseperson on Youth Affairs, Ian James Parsley

Alliance Party spokesperson on youth affairs, Ian James Parsley, has said a New Year's resolution to stop the ongoing loss of young life on our roads is required - involving both road users and the authorities.

Speaking after the name of a Holywood teenager killed in a road crash was released, the North Down Councillor stated: "This Christmas period has seen yet more death and injury on our roads. Those involved were almost all 30 or younger. This loss of young life is unacceptable.

"People are growing tired of hearing about these fatalities and casualties with no evidence that any concrete action is being taken to tackle it. The overall fatality count this year will once again approach 150 - 150 lives needlessly lost, 150 families needlessly bereaved, 150 friends needlessly taken away.

"As a society in Northern Ireland we should set ourselves the target of reducing this rate to below 100 by the end of the decade. It can be done. If each and every one of us takes simple precautions - paying attention to the road, taking advanced courses, planning our journeys more effectively so as to avoid dangerous roads at dangerous times - that will make a

significant difference.

"But the real shame is that we are making the same case to Government as we did last year. Once again, we argue for a policy change. Once again, we emphasise that the focus of road safety policy and enforcement must be rural single carriageways. People are sick and tired of seeing the police patrol safe roads while the careless minority are speeding down rural

back roads without paying any attention to the dangers out there.

"We do not need yet another 'strategy'. We need proper enforcement of the regulations and encouragement of better education for all road users. People must know that if they drive safely they will not be troubled by other road users or by the authorities. But they must also know that allowing themselves to be distracted from the road will cost them a fine, that breaking the speed limit on a rural road will result in a fixed penalty without fail, and that exceeding the drink-drive limit will result in an automatic ban. That way, we will soon see our roads become a safer place.

"Fatality figures reduced dramatically between the '60s and mid-'90s, it is time we saw another dramatic fall. Let us set that as an objective for 2007. That would be the most fitting tribute to those who have suffered and grieved so tragically in 2006."

ENDS