Press release
Minister Naughton proposes increase in fines at high level meeting on rise in road deaths
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Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for road safety, Hildegarde Naughton, chaired the quarterly meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety.
The meeting brought together the two departments (Transport and Justice) and the key organisations responsible for the Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy, including the Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority, and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety.
The central focus of the meeting was the continuing tragic upward trend in road deaths in 2022. As of 12 July, 87 people died on Irish roads in 2022, an increase of 27 on the figure at this date in 2021. While some of the difference can be accounted for by exceptionally low figures in 2021 due to lockdown, the trend is worrying, and numbers are rising above pre-COVID levels. The Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 aims to halve road deaths in this period.
The Minister and participants focused on a range of interventions, in the areas of communications and public education, enforcement and sanctions.
Speaking today, Minister Naughton said:
"I am very concerned, as we all are, about the rising trend in road deaths. If we are to tackle the growing number of deaths on our roads, we must take meaningful and tangible action. We must target measures so as to ensure that speeding, phone use and non-wearing of seatbelts are no longer contributors to road deaths. Specifically, in my own Department of Transport, I will be looking at increasing fixed charges for these key factors. We know that 70% of motorists support an increase to the current penalty for the use of mobile phones while driving and two thirds of drivers would like an increase on the fines relating to driving without wearing a seat belt.
“My department will now commence work on making the necessary regulations to allow for increased fixed charges. Other actions from today’s meeting will be led by the RSA and An Garda Siochana. An Garda Siochana will boost enforcement of the rules of the road – visibility and holding road users to account is a key deterrent. Separately, the RSA will consider how we can boost our communications with a view to encouraging better decisions from those behind the wheel.”
Concluding, Minister Naughton said:
"Increased penalties alone will not solve this problem - drivers and road users are key to eliminating deaths on our roads. I would appeal to every road user to exercise responsibility, play your part and don’t become a statistic. Remember to wear your seat belt. Avoid distraction while driving, especially from phones. Above all, slow down and keep within the speed limit. Speeding not only makes collisions more likely, it makes them more devastating when they happen.”