What makes Ireland the most dangerous country in Europe

BlinkingLights

The most dramatic decline in Irish road fatality numbers occurred when the long-distance motorways to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Belfast (including the large towns of the NE) and Waterford opened.

We went almost in the space of a couple of years from a situation where a large % of interurban journeys were on relatively tight single-carriageway that was struggling to cope in places and was quite busy to motorways that were spacious and well capable of handling the volumes.

It reduced head-on collisions and took a lot of risky long distance, often high pressure driving (sales reps etc) off single carriageway and onto proper motorway.

CJhaughey

listermint wrote: »

How long should we wait, The figures are 9 years old ?

I assume there are several figures since then.

Here are some of the figures for the period 2009-2014
I did note that 2013 and 2014 don't have full reports available, the cynical might say that is because the trend reversed and road deaths rose and that is not good news.



http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Deaths%20and%20injuries%20on%20Irish%20roads%202009.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Crash%20Stats/death_injuries_irish_roads_2010.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Road_deaths_2011.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/2012_Deaths_on_Irish_Roads.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Press%20Office/Provisional%20review%20of%20Road%20Crashes%202014.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Deaths-injuries-on-Irish-roads/

Cian_ok

bladespin wrote: »

More to do with our learner regulations and restrictions than anything else, fewer take up motorcycling here due to the increased difficulty than the UK, the motorcycling population here also tends to be older too.

I had a look at the UK regulations and they seem to be broadly similar to ours. Similar licence types, ages and engine size restrictions.
They need a CBT, although it seems to be only one days worth rather than two, which would be cheaper.

So for a new rider the regulations are about the same.

CJhaughey

JamboMac wrote: »

Such a positive person you are.

I am actually, but I also have a keen interest in safety both in a general sense and that of myself and my family.
I am being objective not morbid.
People are killed and injured every day on the roads and if you don't look at stats and try and workout why people are killed/injured then its a waste of time.
The RSA clapped themselves on the back since 2008 for reducing the road toll.
but I contend and I'd be glad to be proven wrong that the single biggest factor was lack of economic activity.
I remember being in the Esso station back in 2009 or so and looking out at rush hour traffic at 0900 and being amazed at the free flowing traffic compared to a couple of years previous.
This place was dead in the last 8 years.

Harika

BlinkingLights wrote: »

You're actually describing two practices that are not allowed in the rules of the road.

1) You're not allowed to drive between lanes of traffic. Drivers don't expect you to do that and it's not surprising they might not see you. It's illegal. You're in/on a motorised vehicle and you're supposed to pick a lane and use it. Cutting between lanes is extremely dangerous for precisely the reasons you're describing. And, yes because there are relatively few motorcycles on the road, drivers absolutely will not expect you to be there.

Maybe we mean something different here, lane filtering seems to be allowed if legal. I will have a look into it, when restarting to ride.

BlinkingLights wrote: »

2) Amber light in the Irish rules means stop unless it's unsafe to do so. You can actually get ticketed in Ireland for going through on amber without any reason to do so. If you've adequate distance to the light, and it turns amber and you can stop, you're supposed to.

Sure, unless it is safe to do so. There is a difference to slow down for an amber light or jump on the brakes, basically emergency braking. Observed quite often by me, so was prepared for it and kept my distance.

BlinkingLights wrote: »

3) In normal speed traffic, if the 'little dot' suddenly appears out of nowhere and you're moving at the speed of traffic, I would suspect the 'little dot' is going way too fast and beyond the speed limit.

Scenario here would be following a car driver in a 100 km/h zone with 70 but unable to overtake, keeping a two second gap. Overtaking opportunity arises and by hitting the acceleration I am super quick at someones side, without violating the speed limit. Far quicker than a car.
Or entering a street with 100km/h limit behind a slow driver, what happens quite often on Sunday. Those people underestimate again my acceleration and how quickly I am in a position to overtake.

To add further examples, the use of indicators is not guaranteed. Drivers suddenly braking and turning happens often. I know, with a two second gap this can be defused.

two wheels good

CJhaughey wrote: »

Here are some of the figures for the period 2009-2014
I did note that 2013 and 2014 don't have full reports available, the cynical might say that is because the trend reversed and road deaths rose and that is not good news.



http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Deaths%20and%20injuries%20on%20Irish%20roads%202009.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Crash%20Stats/death_injuries_irish_roads_2010.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Road_deaths_2011.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/2012_Deaths_on_Irish_Roads.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Press%20Office/Provisional%20review%20of%20Road%20Crashes%202014.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Deaths-injuries-on-Irish-roads/

Only the second last link give any detailed breakdown that looks at road user type
Moto Fatalities:
In 2013: 27
In 2014: 23
In 2008: 29
As you said, seems to be returning to pre-recession figures.

I'm disappointed to see that the comments in the doc do not include a recommendation to promote advanced/additional training for motorcyclists - BikeSafe, Rospa ..

"What this means for the RSA: Motorcyclist awareness and education campaigns are critical to highlight the importance of:
- Good observation by motoristsand motorcyclists, in particular at junctions
-Vigilance among motorists for motorcyclists at all times
-Public awareness that motorcyclists are vulnerable and collisions may be more severe
-Extreme caution by motorcyclists when overtaking"

bladespin

Cian_ok wrote: »

I had a look at the UK regulations and they seem to be broadly similar to ours. Similar licence types, ages and engine size restrictions.
They need a CBT, although it seems to be only one days worth rather than two, which would be cheaper.

So for a new rider the regulations are about the same.

This, much simpler, can be given by a shop etc, much more open access than here.

They also have direct access.

Cian_ok

bladespin wrote: »

This, [CBT] much simpler, can be given by a shop etc, much more open access than here.

They also have direct access.

The direct access route in the UK needs a CBT, theory test and practical test. Same as here.
The only difference I can see is that their CBT is one day, here it's two days.

listermint

two wheels good wrote: »

Only the second last link give any detailed breakdown that looks at road user type
Moto Fatalities:
In 2013: 27
In 2014: 23
In 2008: 29
As you said, seems to be returning to pre-recession figures.

I'm disappointed to see that the comments in the doc do not include a recommendation to promote advanced/additional training for motorcyclists - BikeSafe, Rospa ..

"What this means for the RSA: Motorcyclist awareness and education campaigns are critical to highlight the importance of:
- Good observation by motoristsand motorcyclists, in particular at junctions
-Vigilance among motorists for motorcyclists at all times
-Public awareness that motorcyclists are vulnerable and collisions may be more severe
-Extreme caution by motorcyclists when overtaking"

How many more bikes are on the road though.

Sales themselves indicate as a mode of transport the amount of riders on the road now vastly exceeds previous years so stands to reason the fatality count is not rising in line with the new rider trend.

bladespin

Price is difference.

Also, do the UK have the waiting period after cbt we do?

KonFusion

So, looking at the data then;

"What makes Ireland the most dangerous country in Europe"

- Nothing. It's not.

Was I the only person who got pm'd abuse by the thread starter for daring question his stats or am I on my own? :rolleyes:

Hotblack Desiato

Scarlet Swift Dove wrote: »

Was I the only person who got pm'd abuse by the thread starter for daring question his stats or am I on my own? :rolleyes:

But that's the thing, the OP didn't provide any stats...!

Abuse is not on, report it.

CJhaughey

OP is a troll IMO.