Red light district: Garda pushes Dublin road safety initiative

If Dublin’s drivers, cyclists and pedestrians displayed just a little more patience when using the city’s roads, lives could be saved in the run up to Christmas, the launch of a new safety initiative was told on Friday.

Gardaí in Dublin launched their new "red light running" safety initiative in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority.

The campaign, which will run throughout this month and the next, has the “sole aim of reducing the number and severity of road traffic collisions”.

There are 1,620 sets of traffic lights in the Dublin region across all four local authorities, and the launch was told road users put themselves at great risk by driving, cycling or crossing through red lights every day.

So far this year there have been 10 fatalities in the Dublin region - seven fewer than in 2014. Last year 4,970 cars were detected breaking red lights in the capital. So far this year, there have been 2,662 detections for the same offence.

As a result of the number of collisions and near misses encountered by Luas trams, a new fully automated red light camera was recently installed at Blackhall Place.

155 drivers detected

To date this has detected 155 drivers gambling with their safety, with many significantly late through the junction.

The campaign is not only aimed at drivers, but also at cyclists and pedestrians. It uses a mix of education and enforcement in an effort to change road user behaviour and make the roads safer.

"We are aiming this red light running campaign at all drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and appealing to them to reduce the risk to themselves and others by simply obeying the rules of the road when the traffic light is red," said Chief Supt Aidan Reid, head of Dublin's Traffic Corps.

“It seems a simple ask, and maybe a lesser offence, but when you consider there are 1,620 sets of traffic lights in Dublin, and look at what is happening in one junction alone, Blackhall Place, it is very apparent there is a very real problem with compliance.”