19/03/2004

Minister urges councillors to help reduce roads carnage

NIO Minister Angela Smith has said it is in everyone's interests "to do what we can to improve safety on our roads".

The Minister made her call during an address to the Northern Ireland Local Government Association about road safety.

“Road Safety is an issue for us all. We all use the roads as drivers, passengers, riders and pedestrians and it is in all our interests to do what we can to improve safety on our roads," she said.

“Each year, more that 13,000 road traffic casualties occur on Northern Ireland’s roads. Of these, approximately 150 people are killed and 1600 are seriously injured. Behind each death and injury there lies enormous human suffering and economic burden on the community.

“Fewer than 2% of all road traffic collisions are due to dangerous roads or defective vehicles. The main causes of road traffic collisions are road users, primarily drivers, making errors of judgement or simply ignoring the law. It is a personal decision to drive too fast, to drink alcohol or take drugs and then drive, or not to wear a seat belt.

The valuation or cost of road traffic collision casualties in Northern Ireland during 2002 has been calculated at £513 million.

The Northern Ireland Local Government Association was established on 2 October 2001 and represents the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland.

(MB)

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