Cllr Jackie Healy-Rae has said that he is very concerned with the continued increased of fatal road collisions where drugs were a factor in particular to prescribed drugs with almost 20% of fatal collisions where a toxicology result was available had a positive test for either benzodiazepine or an opioid.
The figure was one of many findings released to Cllr Healy-Rae after a detailed request into Road Safety Authority (RSA) analysis data.
Of the most recent data (2015-2019) showed that 37% of driver fatalities with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for alcohol; 13% of driver fatalities (2015-2019) with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for cocaine; 11% had a positive toxicology for at least one benzodiazepine; 7% had a positive toxicology for cannabis; and 7% had a positive toxicology for at least one opioid.
“There was a time when it was enough to try and educate drivers not to drink and drive over the legal limit, but we now need to double down our efforts to ensure that we tackle the increasing scourge of driving with drugs in the system. Particularly when it comes to Benzodiazepines and opioids which are prescribed drugs which can have side effects such as drowsiness, light-headedness, confusion and dizziness,” the Kerry Councillor said.
“Drivers taking benzodiazepines should really get advice from their healthcare providers and play a more responsible role particularly now when one in five road fatal accidents in which a toxicology test is taken shows that prescribed drugs can be at fault. To put that into context its almost half the figure of drink drivers,” he noted.
Cllr Healy-Rae has also called on people to ensure that they report accidents with animals on roads as the RSA Data shows that only 9 road collisions were attributed to deer between a 2018 and 2022 period of records out of the 98 single vehicle collisions involving an animal which resulted in a casualty (fatal, serious or minor injury). This represents less than 1% of all casualty collisions over the same time period.
“People need to report collisions with animals in particular with deer. While I don’t doubt for a second the validity of the figures provided by the RSA I believe them to be highly inaccurate due to under reporting, because the simple truth is that during different times of the year in Kerry alone we could have 9 collisions a day with deer.”
He also pointed to another very worrying concern with speed related fatalities when it comes to built up areas where speeds of 30km or less are the legal limit.
“In 2019 4 road deaths were recorded in a 30KM zone and this figure last year was 14. An incredible jump particularly in built up areas when often our most vulnerable like the elderly and the very young can be put in danger. The figure made all the worse when it is more than doubled the figure for deaths recorded in a 120KM zone (6)
Cllr Healy-Rae stated in conclusion: “County councils have a responsibility to provide up to date safety schemes particularly around schools, be it adequate pedestrian crossings, lining and lights to ensure visibility.”