45 per cent reduction in child fatalities

New research from Ireland’s Road Safety Authority (RSA) has revealed that child fatalities (children up to 14 years of age) decreased by 45.6 per cent in the period 1997 to 2009. 246 children up to 14 years old were killed on Irish roads during this period; an additional 1,013 were seriously injured.

The ‘Child Casualties Report’ also highlighted a significant reduction in child passenger fatalities, which decreased by 73 per cent between 1997 and 2009. 61 per cent of child fatalities in this period occurred outside built-up areas where the roads had a posted speed limit higher than 60km/h. 1 in 4 (26 per cent) of all child fatalities occurred in Dublin and Cork.

Mr Leo Varadkar T.D., minister for transport, tourism and sport said: “Next week, schools will reopen after the summer holidays and will welcome new students. One of the most important lessons for young children is how to use the roads safely. As adults, we have a responsibility to show young road-users the correct way to behave when walking, cycling or travelling to school by bus or car. So I would ask parents, guardians and teachers to teach young children how to be road safety-aware when using the roads.”

Mr. Noel Brett, chief executive, Road Safety Authority, said: “There has been a significant reduction in the number of children being killed and injured on our roads, but simply put, one death is one too many. As part of this year’s ‘Back to School’ campaign, the RSA is delighted to be working with ESB Electric Ireland again to provide every child starting school with a high viz vest. This initiative will help to keep our youngest and most vulnerable road-users safe on the roads when walking or cycling to school.”

Mr Brett asked parents to include road safety gear in their ‘Back to School’ checklist: “We’re also asking parents and guardians to consider bicycle helmets and other life saving road safety gear on their ‘back to school’ shopping lists to ensure their children are safe on the roads when travelling to and from school. It’s also important to demonstrate good road safety behaviour at all times as your child will learn from your example. Teach your child about responsible and safe road use when walking, cycling or travelling to school by bus or car. Children are our most vulnerable road-users so it’s really important that they are ‘streetwise’ about road safety.”

Mr Brett also had a message for teachers: “We would also ask teachers to consider including a road safety lesson from the RSA’s road safety resources in their classes. There’s the ‘Safe Cross Code’, ‘Street Smart’, ‘Be Safe’, ‘Let’s Go’, ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ and ‘Hi Glo Silver’ for primary level all of which teach our younger road-users how to use the roads safely. At secondary level we have a Junior Cycle resource entitled ‘Streetwise’ as well as ‘Your Road to Safety’ for Transition Year. Attitudes to road safety are formed at a young age so we would encourage teachers to include road safety in their lesson plans.”

For more information
Web: www.rsa.ie