Castletown School of Motoring News Chismass & New year compaign

Chismass & New year compaign

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána launched their Christmas and New Year Road Safety Campaign in co-operation with the Medical Bureau for Road Safety in UCD, in Dublin Thursday 27 November. The focus of this year’s campaign is the launch of an awareness campaign to raise awareness of Roadside Impairment Testing (RIT), which has been introduced by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Paschal Donohoe.
Roadside Impairment Testing (RIT) will provide An Garda Síochána additional powers to test drivers whom they suspect of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID). As part of the new test, drivers will be required to undergo five impairment tests; a Pupil Dilation Test, Modified Romberg Balance Test, Walk and Turn Test, One Leg Stand and lastly a Finger to Nose Test.
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Paschal Donohoe, who announced the introduction of Roadside Impairment Testing today said: “While driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) has been a statutory offence in Ireland since the Road Traffic Act 1961. It will be a useful indicator as to whether a person is ‘incapable of having proper control of the vehicle’ and whether that incapability might be due to the presence of an intoxicant such as drugs.”
Minister Donohoe also announced today the introduction of a procedure which will allow for the testing of an incapacitated driver following a serious road traffic collision. It will now be possible to take a specimen of blood from a driver who is incapacitated and to test that specimen for intoxicants. The driver will be asked, on regaining capacity, whether they consent to the issuing of a certificate of the test result on the specimen. Refusal will be an offence.
An Garda Síochána has increased the enforcement of key lifesaver offences this year, but some people continue to speed, continue to use their mobile phone while driving, and continue not to wear a seat belt or put their children into child restraints. Road deaths have increased over the last two years and all of us have a role in saving lives. I would ask all road users to think about how their actions – whether it is speeding or not putting on a seat-belt or not wearing a high-vis jacket – could end in a terrible tragedy. Christmas and the New Year is a time for family and friends. It should not be a time for dealing with the death of a loved one. Let’s all behave responsibly so everyone can enjoy it.”
To date this year, a total of 179 people have been killed in road collisions compared to 172 deaths on the same date in 2013. When broken down by road-user, this represents 76 drivers, 36 passengers, 35 pedestrians, 20 motorcyclists, 1 pillion passenger and 11 cyclists who have died on Irish roads to date this year.
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