Gardaí have named Dublin’s 10 worst offending areas for speeding offences where drivers were travelling on average up to 32km/h above the limit.
These areas as well as 50km/h zones in the capital will be targeted for speed checks in the coming months, gardaí said today. So far this year almost 36,000 motorists have been detected speeding in Dublin.
The 10 worst offending areas along with average speed over the limit are:
*Fingal County Council – Celbridge Road (21km/h) and Cappagh Road, Finglas South (23km/h)
*Dublin County Council – Naas Road (23-32km/h), Ballycullen Road (27km/h) and Dodder Park Road (26km/h)
*Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council – Drummartin Link Road (26km/h) and Temple Hill Blackrock (26km/h)
*Dublin City Council – Dublin Port Tunnel (23km/h), Swords Road, Whitehall (28km/h) and Wolfe Tone Quay (21km/h).
The risk of fatality fromimpact at 60km/h is 85 per cent, this falls to 45 per cent at 50km/h and drops to 5 per cent at 30km/h.
Deaths on the city’s roads are set to surpass last year and gardaí have begun a two-month safety campaign for October and November during the “most vulnerable time of the year” as weather deteriorates and days get darker.
So far 18 people have died on Dublin’s roads, already close to last years total of 19. Two thirds of these deaths are among vulnerable road users including seven pedestrians, two cyclists and three motorcyclists. The latest motorcycle death took place in Drimnagh yesterday when a 38-year-old collided with a car.
Coming into contact with speeding vehicles increases risks for vulnerable road users and gardaí are urging motorists to slow down, Chief Supt Aidan Reid of the Garda Traffic Corps said at a press conference today. Gardaí will also target peak hours between 7am and 9.30am and between 4pm and 7pm. Friday afternoons are the most dangerous on Dublin roads, figures show.
Chief Supt Reid also urged pedestrians and cyclists to take action. For vulnerable road users hi viz vests increase visibility by up to 325 per cent, he said.
As part of the ‘Safer Roads for Dublin Campaign’ councils and gardaí will be distributing high viz vests and bike lights to road users over the next two months.
One detection statistic described as “unbelievable” by Chief Supt Reid showed 1,800 drivers have been detected without safety belt so far this year. In addition this year over 1,000 drives in Dublin have been arrested for drink driving,and almost 7,000 caught holding a mobile phone while driving.
More than 1,700 people have been prosecuted for breaking red lights in Dublin this year a the figure described as “very significant” by gardaí.
The particular focus for the Dublin campaign on vulnerable road shows the difference with the national picture when it comes to fatality types. According to gardaí, nationally 40 per cent of road deaths involve drivers compared with 5 per cent in Dublin.
The economy emerging from recession is a major reason for the increase in road deaths as there is more traffic on the roads, according to Chief Supt Reid. Nationally road deaths rose by 28 last year. Figures show an increase in traffic crossing the canals and on the M50, he said.
There was “no room for complacency” on red lights, Chief Supt Reid said. Cyclists breaking red lights would also be targeted in the coming months. He reminded pedal cyclists of fines up to €750 for breaking red lights
The red light problem also exists for the capital's trams. An estimated 1,500 motorists per year break lights at one Luas junction, the acting chief executive of the Railway Procurement Agency Rory O'Connor said . He raised "great concern" about the problem as part of the safety campaign.
A camera installed at Benburb Street/Blackhall place junction showed more than five people breaking the red light per day, he said. This included drivers crossing the junction 25 seconds after the light turned red, he said. An automated red-light running detector will soon be installed at Benburb Street.
Luas drivers have been told to stop a some junctions just to make sure nobody will run the red light, he said. The number of emergency brake applications had increased for situations where drivers go through the lights. Motorists are “gaining 20 or 30 seconds and risking the rest of their lives” he said.
