RSA proposal suggests significant steps to clamp down on disqualified drivers

There was a 15% increase in deaths on Irish roads in 2016.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has suggested that a formal database of disqualified drivers should be established following the rise in the number of deaths on Irish roads in 2016. Recent figures released by the RSA revealed that a total of 187 people lost their lives on Irish roads in 175 fatal crashes in 2016 (accurate up to 5pm on December 30), compared to 162 lives lost in 155 fatal crashes in 2015, representing a 15% increase in fatalities and a 13% increase in fatal crashes. Speaking to Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio One on Wednesday, Chief Executive of the Road Safety Authority, Moyagh Murdock, said that drink driving remains a particular problem in this country. “We had made progress in 2015 but as 2016 progressed, it was a consistent trend over many of the months that deaths were on the way up,” said Murdock. “It’s back to basics, really, drink driving, speeding, mobile phones still the key killer behaviours out there.” “There has been significant progress in reducing drink driving numbers, but there is still a small cohort who are continuing to make that decision,” Murdock added. “It is an issue for this country.” Murdock acknowledged that there has been some reporting of disqualified drivers on Irish roads, but that there are still “alarming numbers” of people driving after they had been disqualified and they are hiding it from their communities, families and even their employers. “It (reporting) is happening on a piecemeal basis. We want something similar to the Revenue Commissioners where there would be a formal data base of disqualified drivers,” Murdock said. “People don’t surrender their licences. Some employers may have people driving for work who are actually disqualified. “There are alarming numbers of people driving after they have been disqualified. Their employers, communities and families are not aware.” A draft bill about a database of disqualified drivers, one of a number of proposed initiatives from the RSA, has been sent to Minister for Transport Shane Ross and the RSA hope that it will made law by the end of 2017.