by in News
June 17, 2019
RSA International Road Safety Conference

Tom Murphy was invited to attend the Road Safety Authority (RSA) 2019 International Road Safety Conference in Dublin Castle on Thursday 13 June. The theme of the conference was International Best Practice in Road Safety Strategy Development.

There was a diverse range of speakers, both Irish and International, with backgrounds including operational, academic and policy development.  the speakers shared their expertise and experiences in the development of best practice in road safety strategy formulation and performance measures.

On behalf of PAC Ireland, Tom welcomes the news there has been a 68% reduction in fatalities on Irish roads since the introduction of Ireland’s first road safety strategy in 1998.

Image left to right Justin Martin, RSA, Tom Murphy, Professional Agricultural Contractors of Ireland and Liam Duggan, RSA Director of Vehicle Testing and Enforcement
L-R: Justin Martin, RSA.  Tom Murphy, PAC Irl. 
 Liam Duggan, RSA Director of Vehicle Testing and Enforcement

Since the publication of the first Road Safety Strategy in 1998, there has been a significant reduction in fatalities on Irish roads – 458 deaths occurred on Irish roads in 1998, compared with 146 in 2018.

Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport, Mr. Shane Ross and the RSA announced that the next Government Road Safety Strategy will run from 2021 to 2030 and that the process of developing the new strategy, will involve consultation with key stakeholders and analysis of international experience and best practice. The strategy is expected to address current and new road safety challenges including the impact of new technology, vulnerable road users, serious injuries and killer behaviours.

Ms. Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson, RSA said, “The next national road safety strategy will have new elements to take account of a changing society, environment and life styles. Technology will transform our capabilities. The climate change agenda too will influence our endeavours. How citizens want to live their lives too; and a huge interest in healthy cities and public transportation modes must be accommodated. Cycling and walking must ascend the pecking order in terms of priority. ”

Ms. Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive, RSA stressed, “It is important that we recognise the efforts of the public, by changing their behaviour many lives have been saved and injuries prevented. The support and work of NGO advocacy groups, who have worked tirelessly to change road safety laws, has also been vital to success.”

Ms. Murdock added that “Reducing fatalities on our roads is not getting any easier. As we take steps to develop the new strategy we need to consider all the factors at play in the coming years such as emerging technologies and new ‘killer behaviours’. Enforcement will continue to be a critical success factor and there is still some way to go to achieving adequate levels of policing of our road safety laws. As part of our efforts to save lives on Irish roads, we need to continue to work together with all stakeholders and use best international practice. That is why this conference, which brings together the leading road safety experts from across the world, is so important”.

Speakers on the day included:

  • Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive Officer, Road Safety Authority, Ireland
  • Mr Matthew Baldwin, European Coordinator for Road Safety, European Commission
  • Professor Barry Watson, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia
  • Ir. Rob Eenink, Head of Human Factors Research and Operation Management Department, SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, Netherlands
  • Mr Antonio Avenoso, Director, European Transport Safety Council
  • Ms Guro Ranes, Director of Road Traffic Safety, Norwegian Public Roads Administration
  • Prof. Dr. Walter Eichendorf, President, German Road Safety Council (DVR)
  • Mr Álvaro Gómez Méndez, Head of the Nation Road Safety Observatory, Spain
  • Mr Stephen Perkins, Head of Research and Policy Analysis, International Transport Forum at the OECD
  • Ms Therese Malmström, Project Leader and Coordinator, Swedish Transport Administration
  • Ms Vesna Marinko, Acting Director, Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency
Tom Murphy, PAC Ireland,