Gaybo, road safety and taking the pledge March 27, 2006
Posted by wicklow in Uncategorized.trackback
The news that Gay Byrne is the new chairman of the Road Safety Authority is to be welcomed. He has a high profile and is a straight talker and takes no nonsense. This was evidenced in the press conference when he said he would walk away from the chairmanship if he felt he was being messed about.It was refreshing to see someone sit beside a government minister and publicly state “mess with me and you’ll regret it”. This is exactly the sort of approach needed.
But what exactly can be done to improve road safety. Enforcement is one way of course, but ultimately the responsibility for road safety rests with each one of us. It’s not just motorists, but every road user.
I had an idea some time ago and I have sent it to the new chairman to see if he thinks it’s as good an idea as I do.
The idea is called Roadpledge.
Basically, motorists and other road users will be encouraged to sign a pledge that says “I pledge to be responsibile in my driving. I pledge to maintain the speed limit. I pledge to show consideration to other road users. I pledge to make Irish roads the safest in the world. Signed ….. “ or some words to that effect.
All those who make the pledge either online or in person (at say a County Council office) will receive a sticker to display on their car, bike or for pedestrians a badge could be made available too.
Seeing all the pledge logos on the roads will be an immediate sign of change for good. Making a pledge and signing your name to it is like writing down a goal. A written goal is more powerful than simply thinking about something.
Displaying the pledge sticker is also a visual reminder every day when you step into your car that you have made a promise to your fellow Irishmen, women and children that your driving will be 100% safe.
That’s it in a nutshell. Comments and feedback welcome
Would you take the pledge for road safety in Ireland?
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good idea well done think it can only help. have a few ideas myself how did you get in touch with Road Safety Authority. Can’t seem to find any email address for them. Would like to submit my thoughts to them.
Here they are-
· A dedicated traffic police force. Good remuneration – make it an attractive career move.
· 450,000 provisional drivers on the roads is a shambles. Privatise test system – copy English model (6 weeks waiting time on average there).
· New state-licensed driving instructor system. Instructors to partake in an extensive course themselves before being licensed to give lessons.
· Minimum 8 driving lessons before provisional driver can drive unaccompanied. Instructors to give you certificate when you have completed this programme.
· If you fail your test, more lessons required before sitting it again – maybe 5 more lessons?
· More checkpoints to check for unaccompanied provisional drivers and see whether they have their “Lessons Certificate”.
· Checkpoints at high-risk times in high-risk areas. E.g. Rural roads after midnight at weekends. A speed-check on a sunny Sunday afternoon on a relatively safe piece of road where the limit is probably too small anyway is not saving too many lives.
· Checkpoints for drink-driving in built-up areas and near car parks of well known pubs. I know it sounds simple but I am out and about a lot and never see this happen. E.g. A check for drink-driving outside Barry’s pub in Douglas, Cork on a Friday or Saturday night would catch huge amount of people I guarantee you.
· Advertising campaign along the lines of the Australian model – “Drink and Drive: Bloody Idiot” etc…
· Speed cameras all over the place.
· Stricter penalty points system – current set-up gives bad drivers too many chances.
Agree with all the above as well. I couldn’t find email for the RSA either so I just sent it to info@transport.ie and asked for it to be passed along to the chairman. Also since posting my idea, I did a search on google and found there is a group with a pledge idea running but it doesn’t seem to have had a great lot of advertising or support to get widespread coverage.
I think one of the newspapers in Ireland could get behind some campaign as well. It is beyond a joke especially the learner driver situation.
I agree with all the above. In particular, I can’t understand how learner drivers are allowed on our roads, unaccompanied. A Learning to Drive module should compulsory and should form part of the curriculum in secondary schools sooner rather than later.
We, as Irish people seem to have little if any regard for the Penalty Point System- driving home yesterday, I counted five drivers on their mobiles, one of whom, while stuck in traffic, almost rolled back into me -his telephone conversation must have been so interesting he forgot to pull up the handbrake!!
One last point I would like to raise is Irish drivers seem to be more agressive in their driving i.e speeding, driving right up behind the other car etc – or is that me just getting old??? Slow down folks and chill out!
yes i would i think its a great idea.i also agree with all the other comments made. i am at present in touch with all the political parties the nra the dept of transport re lack of places for trucks to park to take the required breaks as required by law all the lay-bys are blocked off with height barriers so we cant get in to park to rest/sleep over night we have to park on the hard shoulder which is as far as i know illegal and also highly dangerous you cant relax always afraid something will run under the truck always tired from lack of proper rest/sleep and still having to driving hundreds of miles every day theres a massacure out there just waiting to happen imagiene the scene a 40 ton truck and a bus full of kids or adults its just frightening to even think of the out come the nra is looking at putting rest/service areas in place on motorways/dual carriage ways in the future this will take years to come about. this will do nothing for the rest of the roads in the country which are single carriage way theres a solution there already to this problem open the lay-bys so the trucks can pull in of the road at least until they come up with something better this would get rid of the danger of trucks parked on the side of the road and the drivers could get proper rest/sleep as required by law (the drivers hours regulation) which is a EU directive this means a driver of heavy goods vehicles can drive for four/half hours he/she must then stop for 45 mins rest they can then drive for another four/half hours a total of nine hours in any one day they must then stop for 11 hours rest and this is when we bunk down and try to get to sleep trying to find a safe place to do this is almost impossible you could have passed 6/7 lay-bys along your route and have failed to gain access to any one of them because of the height barriers surely removing the barriers would at least help to get rid of two dangers from the roads trucks parked on the side of the road and tired drivers driving hundreds of miles every day would you agree with my train of tought would you think i might be right if so i would be delighted if you would get on to the relevent spokepersons on transport/roadsafety from each policital party the NRA the dept of transport the road safety council (gaybo) and make your feelings know to them surely anything we can do to make our roads safer and help to put a stop to the carnage on our roads can only be right or mabey you might have some ideas yourselfs on my toughts and how we could improve things looking forward to your replies.( Worried Trucker)
I’m constantly amazed too at the amount of tailgaiting that goes on and it the phenomenon is no respecter of age. I see all types of drivers doing it and I can only shake my head and wonder why. I hit the road in the morning and just basically take it as some quiet time before the day starts, there’s no point in rushing.
The situation re: trucks I remember hearing something on the Matt Cooper show on Today FM about it. It’s a crazy situation too. I bet drivers from the continent are amazed/appalled . Opening the lay bys sounds like something that could be done tomorrow but I’m guessing that local authorities don’t want to do that in case travellers move in?
More trains – less cars
What do you think of the road safety advertisements. Do they work? What is their role? Are graphic images and shock the best way to communicate the message?
I think people are over the shock factor now. It’s too easy to tune out when an ad comes in. Actually, people DO tune out when ads are on so I would question their effect really.