06/07/2005

Number of road fatalities falling, report finds

A new report has revealed that the number of people being killed or seriously injured on Northern Ireland’s roads is falling.

The Department of the Environment’s second Annual Report on the Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy 2002 – 2012, published today, shows that the overall number of people killed or seriously injured in 2004 fell by a further 8%. This brings the figures to 24% below the levels set in the Strategy, which was published in 2002.

The figures for the number of children killed or seriously injured are even more significant with a 12% drop, bringing the figures to 39% below the original Strategy level.

The Strategy sets targets for 2012 to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 33% and child fatalities and serious injuries by 50% from the average for the five-year period of 1996-2000.

Commenting on the figures, the DOE’s Director of Road Safety, Wesley Shannon, said: "I am very encouraged by what was achieved during the second year of the Road Safety Strategy.

“Achieving these targets is not, and never has been, the limit of our aspirations. They are simply milestones along the way towards making the roads safer for everyone.”

The Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy sets out the strategic objectives proposed to improve road safety up to 2012 and identifies the action measures planned by the departments and agencies whose activities contribute to road casualty reduction.

(MB/GB)

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