A MULTI-AGENCY approach is being adopted to further improve safety on Clare’s roads, through the formulation of a new road safety strategy for the six-year period, 2014-2020.
During the life of the previous six-year strategy, there was a 79% reduction in road fatalities in the county. Among the actions undertaken to reduce deaths on the roads was a series of public awareness campaigns, an increase in the garda presence and the introduction of GoSafe speed vans, a significant investment in the motorway network and improvements in the local road infrastructure.
The public are being invited to have their say with the latest strategy, which is being being formulated by Clare County Council, supported by An Garda Síochána, the Fire Service and the Road Safety Authority.
Mayor of Clare, Joe Arkins, commented, “We all use the roads every day, so we should all have a say in how we share the roads with each other and how we can work together to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads. I would encourage everyone to get involved in this process and make their voices heard by submitting their ideas.”
Clare Chief Superintendent, John Kerins said Clare gardaí will continue to avail of all opportunities to highlight the importance of road safety through targeted media campaigns during high-risk periods and with the delivery of road safety education to schools.
“We will enforce all elements of road traffic legislation, with particular emphasis placed on drink and drug driving, speeding, dangerous driving, non-wearing of safety belts and drivers using mobile phones. The level of enforcement in these areas is matched with the number of detections made and prosecutions in our courts which has increased year on year,” he said.
Chief Superintendent Kerins emphasised that gardaí will continue to appeal to all road-users to respect the speed limits and exercise greater personal responsibility for their driving behaviour, thereby protecting their own lives and preserving the safety of other road-users.
The council’s road safety officer, Barry Keating, said road safety is something everybody has an important role to play in.
“We are asking road-users to get involved by submitting their ideas on how we can improve safety on our roads. Every idea or proposal will be reviewed and considered so I would encourage people to get involved. This is your chance to help shape the future of road safety in Clare. The Draft Strategy on display on our website has 12 different covers – the shortlisted pictures are from various primary school students across Clare, following a recent schools road safety design-a-poster competition. The winning poster will become the cover of the road safety strategy when it is finalised, following this public consultation process,” added Mr Keating.
A copy of the Draft Clare Road Safety Strategy 2014-2020 is available to view on www.clarecoco.ie or at Roads Section, Clare County Council, New Road, Ennis.
The closing date for receipt of submissions is Friday, June 6 next.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.