Random breath test = Road death down....

Kersh

I see the road death total for August and September is very low in comparison to past 10 years.
Do you think it has anything to do with the random breath test legislation brought in.
I think its too much of a coincidence...
what are your opinions.

Tobias Greeshman

Well no I don't think it's a coincidence at all. Didn't they say that in other countries, Australia for example, that it significantly brought down road deaths. They have it in almost two months, so why wouldn't it bring down road deaths.

It's also the fact that with random breath testing, no one is even considering taking a chance, with even a glass of wine or beer when out for a meal. Even the older generation are too afraid to take a chance, whereby prior to the introduction of the random breath testing, nothing would deter them from having a drink and driving home.

The guards have been out in force and enforcing it, and it appears to be working.

cancan

Probably to early to tell - politicians love to pat themselves on the back, but in reality, 2 months isn't long enough to make a correlation between the two.

If in 12 months the trend continues, you could.

jhegarty

It must be having an effect..

I was stopped for a random test last month.... I don't drink (at all) and everything tax/insurance was in order but it still scared the s**t out of me...can't image how someone would feel driving up the check point if they had a drink...

mike65

Its having an effect but so did the introduction of points, for 3 months the death numbers plumeted, then we all cottened on to the fact the fuzz were'nt actually enforcing the law any better then previously. Despite the last two months drop one more pseron died this year, to this date than last year.

Mike.

jhegarty

mike65 wrote:

Its having an effect but so did the introduction of points, for 3 months the death numbers plumeted, then we all cottened on to the fact the fuzz were'nt actually enforcing the law any better then previously. Despite the last two months drop one more pseron died this year, to this date than last year.

Mike.

I think the difference here is that they are enforcing...I drove from waterford to shannon airport starting at 4am and got stopped at checkpoints twice... haven't been doing any late night driving since , but can't imagine it was a one off...

Evil Phil

I got tested on the way home from the Electric Picnic, there was a road block and every single driver got tested. Fair enough I say.

Seanie M

The guards have been out in force and enforcing it, and it appears to be working.

I have seen practically zero police on the roads doing active service, since penalty points were brought in, almost 2 years ago. And I put in some amount of mileage around the Midlands (Tullamore, Mullingar, Athlone, Enfield among the few well-travelled routes I do weekly). Speedsters, erratic drivers, even drunk drivers - I have reported them all to the local cop stations while speeding after the speedsters, following the drunk drivers. They can't do anything most of the time because no one is available. I have little faith in the Traffic Corps. That DOES NOT mean I take my own chances re: drink-driving etc. Common sense should prevail in drivers, all of them, anyway, to forgo the need for excessive Traffic Corps on the roads. Alas, most drivers are stupid.

The Garda Reserve should be embraced by the Boys in Blue to help in problems such as this.

Seanie.

Sandwich

Yes, most likely the fear factor of knowing that random testing is out there. Whether the decrease continues, unlike after the first intro of penalty points we will see - it depends on whether the guards keep up the high profile and high number of tests.

If true, it shows how much grog really is a factor road accidents - so much more than speeding/dangerousdrivers/learners/kids/foreigners/badroadsurface etc that are usually cited. Assuming many are still risking it also, it shows how safe the roads could be if driving after alcohol really was eliminated.

ongarite

After todays article in the Irish Times, I think lots of people are going to be out drink driving this weekend.
I think the jist of the article was that if you were stopped for random breath test and refused to take the test and were brought to station and had blood, urine test and failed that you couldn't be charged with drink driving.
Something to do with typo or sentence in the wrong place in the recent legistation.

ninty9er

ongarite wrote:

After todays article in the Irish Times, I think lots of people are going to be out drink driving this weekend.
I think the jist of the article was that if you were stopped for random breath test and refused to take the test and were brought to station and had blood, urine test and failed that you couldn't be charged with drink driving.
Something to do with typo or sentence in the wrong place in the recent legistation.

That typo will be fixed by thursday if those 3 fu<kin eejits Kenny, Rabbite & Higgins ever remember there's a fu<kin country to be run here

junkyard

ninty9er wrote:

That typo will be fixed by thursday if those 3 fu<kin eejits Kenny, Rabbite & Higgins ever remember there's a fu<kin country to be run here

I though that was Berties job.....but I suppose the only thing Bertie can run now is a mile.:D

Seth Brundle

mike65 wrote:

Its having an effect but so did the introduction of points, for 3 months the death numbers plumeted, then we all cottened on to the fact the fuzz were'nt actually enforcing the law any better then previously. Despite the last two months drop one more pseron died this year, to this date than last year.

Mike.

weren't the fatality figures running much higher than last year up until RBTs arrived? Had it not arrived then presumably the figures would have continued to rise the way they were.

unkel

junkyard wrote:

I though that was Berties job.....but I suppose the only thing Bertie can run now is a mile.:D

No fecking need for him to run. Or hide. Perks: 24/7 chauffeur, 24/7 security and a huge pension for life all courtesy of you and me in case he resigned today

Victor

Seanie M wrote:

I have seen practically zero police on the roads doing active service, since penalty points were brought in, almost 2 years ago.

Penalty points were brought in towards the end of 2002.

Sandwich wrote:

If true, it shows how much grog really is a factor road accidents - so much more than speeding/dangerousdrivers/learners/kids/foreigners/badroadsurface etc that are usually cited. Assuming many are still risking it also, it shows how safe the roads could be if driving after alcohol really was eliminated.

They cause the other 30-50% of accidents.

kbannon wrote:

weren't the fatality figures running much higher than last year up until RBTs arrived? Had it not arrived then presumably the figures would have continued to rise the way they were.

Part of this is the hype effect, it will last a few months. Then you will see a resurgence and we will see what effect RBTs and increased enforcement have.

Seth Brundle

Victor wrote:

Part of this is the hype effect, it will last a few months. Then you will see a resurgence and we will see what effect RBTs and increased enforcement have.

I hope you are wrong but living in the real world, I know you are nnot. However, many people are still alive (for the moment) because of the introduction of RBTing.