Road safety boss calls for verification of garda data

The chairperson of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has called for independent verification of data on the enforcement of traffic laws, The Times reports.

Liz O’Donnell said the misreporting of roadside breath tests conducted by gardaí between November 2011 and December 2016 was “very worrying”.

Widespread controversy was sparked earlier this year when An Garda Síochána revealed that the actual number of breath tests carried out was nearly a million less than the reported figure. Gardaí have still yet to explain how the figure was so dramatically misreported.

Ms O’Donnell said: “The accurate reporting of statistics is necessary to inform road safety policies and credible enforcement management is an important partner in reducing fatal crashes and minimising criminal behaviour on the roads.

“ believe there should be an independent method of verifying road safety enforcement statistics.”

She said a visible garda presence was key to changing the behaviour of road users and a cut in Garda Traffic Corps numbers from 1,200 in 2009 to 681 in 2016 had to be reversed.

The RSA has recommended a 10 per cent annual rise to bring Ireland back to its pre-recession levels.