Ireland’s Strategic Approach to

Road Safety: Critical Success

Factors

Ms. Moyagh Murdock, CEO

Road Safety Authority

International Conference, 13 June 2019

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Presentation Outline

1. Ireland’s road safety history

2. Current Road Safety Strategy

3. Performance versus targets

4. Approach to the next Road Safety Strategy

5. Current and future challenges

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Ireland’s Road Safety History

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Over 24,271 people have died since 1959…

Fatalities peaked in 1972

First Road Safety Strategy introduced in 1998

1959 -306

300

139

2018 -146

1972 -640

610

Four Road Safety Strategies from 1998 to 2020

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700

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Fatalities Fatal collisions

4

472458

413 415 411

376

335

374396

365

338

279

238212

186163

188 193

162185

156 146124

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 2017* 2018* 2019 2020

Fata

litie

s

1998 - 2002 First Road Safety Strategy

2004 - 2006 Second RSS

2007 - 2012 Third RSS 2013 - 2020 Fourth RSS

1999

NCT

2002

Penalty Point

System

2006

Est. of RSA

Intro of MAT Checkpoints

2010

GoSafe

GDL

Crashed Lives

Reduced BAC

2016

Pre-crash reports/NDRDI data to inform interventions

2018

Drink driving disqualification

Unaccompanied learner drivers

*Provisional figures

+9%-20.3% - 55.3% -10.4%

Target

5

*Provisional figures

124

110 110107

96

84

9296

86

77

62

52

47

41

35

41 42

3539

3330

25

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Per

Mill

ion

Po

pu

lati

on

Year

Road deaths per million population 2018, Source: EU 2018

Road deaths per million population 2005, Source: ETSC 2007

In 1998, Ireland had 124 deaths per million, reducing to 30 in 2018

2005:10th position in EU

2018:Shared 2nd

position

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Critical Success Factors

Critical Success Factors

Provision of required funding

Strategy stakeholder

collaboration

High level, visible,

targeted roads policing

Maintenance of road

network

Mass media support

Introduction of necessary legislation

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Current Road Safety Strategy

• Action Plan of 144 Actions• Shared responsibility• Accountability• Deadline for completion

• Targets on: • Fatalities• Serious injuries• Seatbelt wearing rates• Compliance with posted speed limit

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Looking back to look forward: Effectiveness of 2007-2012 Strategy provided confidence in

approach for 2013-2020

• Accountability

• Shared responsibility

• Timelines for delivery

• Regular Monitoring

Template of Action Plan

• Minister

• Government

• Stakeholders

High Level Commitment

• Stakeholders involved from early stages

• Engagement started before Strategy rolled out

Consultation

• Justifies investmentCost benefit ratio of 3:1

Looking back to look forward

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Consultation process

Consultation focused on

key challenges

Workshop

Public Consultation

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholders with responsibility for delivering measures contained in the

StrategyConsultation Process

Road Safety Advocacy Groups / NGOs

National Office for Traffic Medicine

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Performance versus targets

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Target for Fatalities

Target A reduction of road collision fatalities on Irish roads to 25 per million population or less by 2020 is required to close the gap between Ireland and the safest countries. This means reducing deaths from 162 in 2012 to 124 or fewer by 2020.

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124

110 110107

96

84

9296

86

77

62

5247

4135

41 42

3539

3330

25

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Per

Mill

ion

Po

pu

lati

on

Year

4th RSS

Nu

mb

er of fatalities

Target

458

413 415 411

376

335

374

396

365

338

279

238

212

186

163

188 193

162

185

156146

124

There were 146 fatalities in 2018, Ireland’s safest year on record. This represents 30 deaths per million population.

To reach 124 fatalities by 2020, a 15% decline in fatalities is required from 2018 to 2020.

Performance versus RSS fatality targets

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Target for Serious Injuries

Target A provisional target for the reduction of serious injuries by 30% from 472 (2011) or fewer to 330 by 2020 or 61 per million population has also been set.

‘Provisional’ status in light of work on-going regarding the application of a medical definition (MAIS – maximum abbreviated injury scale). In light of complexity of this work, it was not possible to set a REVISED target using MAIS at the half-way point of the Strategy. More work will be done on MAIS in 2020 in preparation for the new Strategy.

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Serious injury numbers 1997 -2018

15 2016-2018 is provisional and subject to change

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67 4

07

2

34

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40

29

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25

92

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78

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63

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44

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96

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82

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90

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1

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75

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82

6 96

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96

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2500

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Break in time series

Serious Injury Numbers1977 - 2018

• It is widely acknowledged internationally that serious injuries are under-reported.

• New data collection method in place since 2014, in collaboration with An Garda Síochána.

• Although serious injuries are growing, the new data reporting mechanism is likely giving a truer picture of the number of SIs.

Performance versus Other Targets

Targets set for vehicle types and road typesDeliberately ambitious – 100% for allIssues on all roads both urban and ruralPose a challenge for the next RSS

0102030405060708090

Art

eria

l –5

0km

/hA

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ial –

60

km/h

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50

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oad

Nat

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eco

nd

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Reg

ion

al R

oad

s 8

0km

/h

Urban Rural

Car Free Speed 2018

Percentage speeding by road type

Speed Targets Seat Belt Targets

Targets set for adult and child wearing rates, front and rearDeliberately ambitious – 100% for allOverall wearing rates still of concern Pose a challenge for the next RSS

0102030405060708090

100N

atio

nal

–5

0km

/h

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torw

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0km

/h

Urban Rural

Articulated Free Speed 2018

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20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

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Overall Compliance - Front Overall Compliance - Rear

Adult Seatbelt Compliance Rates

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Mid-Term Evaluation

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• Fatalities & serious injuries

• Contributory factors

• Review of action plan

1. Oct 2016 (RSA)

Review of Progress

AGS

MBRS

DTTAS

TII

DOH

HSA

HSE

CCMA

2. Oct 2016 (RSA)

Bi-Lateral Meetings

Stakeholder Presentations

• Progress on actions

• Success/challenges

• Emerging areas of concern

• New priorities

3. Evaluation Workshop 14 November

Stakeholder Sessions

• Education

• Enforcement

• New technology

• Killer behaviours

• Data sharing

• Engineering

4. Synthesis (RSA 2017)

INP

UT

OU

TPU

T

Report of Mid-Term Evaluation

• 22 new actions

• Tools to unblock actions behind schedule

• Commitment to targets

MID-TERM EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

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Outcomes:

• Strong commitment from stakeholders evident

• Consensus that deterioration in performance is unacceptable.

• Tackling Killer Behaviours is critical

• MUST strive to achieve target on fatalities.

Priorities: • Implement 22 new Actions

• Ensure 26 Actions behind schedule are completed

• More regular formal meetings to pro-actively monitor progress

Conclusions of Mid-Term Evaluation

RSA and stakeholders are committed to achieving target and implementing priorities

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Monitoring Implementation

• Meetings to continue to take place quarterly

Ministerial Committee on Road Safety

• Stakeholder quarterly reporting has proven successful and will continue

Stakeholder Reports

• Quarterly meetings to take place between RSA and primary stakeholders

NEW – Formalise Meetings with Primary Stakeholders

• Progress updates provided at each Board Meeting

NEW - Reporting to the RSA Board

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Planning for next Road Safety Strategy:the Next Decade

2021 - 2030

EU road safety policy

framework

2021-2030

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Summary 2018

Evaluation

Must have evidencebase

Collision data analysisReview of Actions/Targets

Consultation

Listen to and integrate views of stakeholders, public, Board

Best Practice

Adopt international best practice

Agree over-archingphilosophy/approach

Communications Plan Board, Stakeholders, Ministerial Sub-Committee

Guiding Principles

Monitoring KPIs for ActionsNew SPIs

Progress evaluations

Ministerial oversight

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Current and Future Challenges

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Compliance

Complacency

Engineering•VRU infrastructure

•Technological Infrastructure (eg for ISA, CAVs)

•Budget for roads

Enforcement•Garda Numbers

•Garda Mobility Programme

•Public and political support

Evaluation•Risk Exposure

•Most recent data to inform interventions

•Safety Performance Indicators

Education •Awareness campaigns

•Staying current, engaging, relevant

•Keeping road safety top of mind

E E

EE

2

Summary 2018 Current Challenges

Evidence Base

Forgiving roads

• Vulnerable road users: growing share of casualties, move to culture of mutual respect between different road user groups, but supported by fit-for-purpose infrastructure

• Killer behaviours: keep innovating to address these, particularly speeding –public awareness, media clutter, appropriate legislation, visible enforcement, culture of compliance

• Serious injuries: tangible progress in measuring these and reducing casualties must be made. How can interventions be tailored to reduce these?

• Recidivist behaviour: models to challenge hard-core offenders

• Technology: Friend or foe? Distraction, e-scooters, autonomous vehicles. Ireland late adopter of life-saving technologies such as alcohol interlocks, ISA. Must catch up

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Future Challenges

• New transport models: marrying sustainable transport models, climate action and active travel safety. Harnessing transport technologies to deliver road safety and climate action objectives

• Data: SPIs, drugs as contributory factor, risk exposure data for VRUs, new research to investigate fatigue and emerging issues, data sharing, big data

• Evaluation: streamline process for evaluating key policies and interventions

• Philosophy/Approach: embed into day-to-day Irish road safety culture to maximise impact (safe systems or other approach)

• 10 year strategy: build in key moments of ‘pause’ to reflect & re-orientate as needed. Flexibility required

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Future Challenges cont’d

In conclusion

• Ireland has internationally recognised strategic model in place to adapt for future strategy, but will continue to learn from other best practice countries to refine approach

• KPI and SPI approach critical to best practice

• Strong stakeholder collaboration, media and political support have been pivotal in reducing fatalities; remain critical for future success

• Serious injuries must be analysed, understood, and tackled

• Life-saving road safety technology must be harnessed

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In Conclusion…

Thank you for your attention

Ms. Moyagh Murdock, CEO

Road Safety Authority

International Conference, 13 June 2019

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