Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030
What is it?
The Irish government has released its fifth road safety strategy with the primary aim of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50% over the next 10 years. This ambitious goal means reducing annual deaths on Irish roads from 144 to 72 or lower, and reducing serious injuries from 1,259 to 630 or lower by 2030.
Vision Zero
Guiding this strategy is Vision Zero, Ireland's long-term goal of achieving zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050.
Phases
The Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 will be delivered in three phases. Phase 1, which runs from 2021 to 2024, is backed by a projected €3.8bn investment and includes 50 high-impact actions and 136 support actions. Phase 2 and Phase 3 Action Plans are scheduled for 2025-2027 and 2028-2030, respectively.
Public Engagement
The strategy has been developed through extensive engagement with the public and other key stakeholders. Over 2,000 submissions from the public were considered, and their input has helped inform the development of this strategy.
Safe Systems Approach
Guiding our journey towards Vision Zero is the Safe Systems approach. Seven Safe System priority areas have been identified, which will be the focal points of our work over the next ten years. These priority areas include:
- Safe Roads & Roadsides
- Safe Speeds
- Safe Vehicles
- Safe Road Use
- Post-crash Response
- Safe and Healthy Modes of Travel
- Safe Work-Related Road Use
Shared Responsibility
One of the key underlying principles of the Safe Systems approach is shared responsibility. The responsibility for implementing Safe Systems across road safety policies and practices is shared among government, key stakeholders, and all road users alike.
Critical Success Factors
There are several critical success factors that will make it possible to reach our targets. These include:
- Political commitment
- Timely development and implementation of evidence-based policy and legislation
- Efficient data sharing and use of benchmarking across key stakeholders
- Innovation in the design of interventions and our approach to partnership-working
- Provision of essential funding for benefits realisation
- Provisions of safe, segregated infrastructure to facilitate modal shift towards active travel
- Behaviour changes due to enforcement interventions, education, and training
- Dedicated partnership-working with good governance and accountability
- Public and media support of our interventions and activities
Conclusion
Our road safety success in Ireland is a direct result of the commitment and dedication of our stakeholders, the Irish public and government. Let's work together to make this decade Ireland's safest ever, as we begin our journey to Vision Zero.
