New measures to counter drug-driving have been included in a draft of the new road safety strategy, which has been seen by The Irish Times. The Road Safety Authority's (RSA) four-year strategy calls for "the extension of random breath-testing to include a Roadside Impairment Test" for prescription and non-prescription drugs and says new legislation is likely to be required, writes David Labanyi.
As no reliable roadside test for drugs yet exists, the report suggests gardaí and doctors will initially have to rely on drug recognition techniques. It also proposes a significant increase in resources for the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, the agency responsible for testing samples for drugs, to carry out additional testing.
A driver is only tested for drugs when gardaí make a specific request, or when a person suspected of being intoxicated shows no evidence of being over the alcohol limit. The strategy also contains specific measures to reduce deaths among young male drivers aged between 17 and 24.
Central to this is the introduction of a graduated driver licence by the end of 2008 which will place restrictions on inexperienced motorists. It notes that inexperience rather than licence class is the key factor in crashes. The draft says the restrictions will not be decided on until the end of this year, but notes that in other countries they include mandatory tuition; disqualification on foot of fewer penalty points; being subject to reduced speed limits; restricted to small-engined cars and a reduced blood alcohol limit.
According to the RSA's draft, young men in this age group are "six times more likely . . . to be responsible for fatal or serious injury collisions where excessive speed is a factor". The report sets a target of no more than an eight week wait for a driving test by next April and says this must be maintained. It also contains a recommendation that driver training become compulsory for learner motor-cyclists from the end of 2008.
The new strategy encompasses more than 100 proposals which the RSA hopes will result in a reduction in the number of people killed on the roads to less than 250 by 2011. As part of its education programme the strategy wants each second-level pupil to be able to take the driver theory test from the middle of 2009.
The draft also says that Traffic Corps in all Garda divisions must be adequately resourced to ensure enforcement targets are met.
A final version of the report is due to be given to Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey for approval within weeks. A spokesman for the RSA said last night that the strategy remained a working document and that it would be inappropriate to comment until it has been approved by the Minister.