2024-02-02 14:40:00
February 2, 2024
The latest survey by the Irish Road Safety Authority (RSA) has produced worrying figures on the behavior of its drivers, especially in the area of driving and alcohol consumption. According to their findings, 1 in 10 drivers have driven under the influence of alcohol on Irish roads in the last 12 months. This figure rises to 14% for men (compared to 6% for women).
The percentage is also higher among people who drive for professional reasons (14%) and those who had a history of road accidents due to collisions (24%). And even worse, the perception that driving after drinking is a road safety problem is on the decline. Only 73% of motorists surveyed stated that their immediate environment considered this behavior unacceptable, compared to 85% who agreed with this statement in 2019.
At the same meeting in which these data were presented, the Irish Minister of Transport, Jack Chambers, announced the creation of a working group to study the implementation of two measures focused on repeat drunk drivers: the installation of interlock devices starting (Ignition interlock device) and the creation of a rehabilitation course.
The Irish Government considers driving under the influence of alcohol one of the country’s biggest road safety challenges during 2024. In this regard, Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), explained that “Several EU countries, including Belgium, France, Lithuania and Poland, are already addressing this problem by requiring the installation of breathalyzer monitoring devices in the vehicles of those who have driven under the influence of alcohol, particularly those who do so repeatedly. . Italy is also preparing legislation to introduce alcohol monitoring devices into the legal system. We hope that Ireland can join this growing group of countries and introduce this proven, life-saving technology in the near future.”.
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