Catherine Murphy
Question:
493. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic collisions in each of the years 2016 to 2021; the number of drivers involved by year in each of these fatal road crashes; the number of uninjured surviving drivers that were involved by year; the number of uninjured drivers that were not tested for alcohol at the scene of the fatal crash; the reason that these uninjured drivers were not tested at the scene; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61846/22]
View answer
I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once it is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 493 of 13 December 2022 where you asked for: “the number of fatal road traffic collisions in each of the years 2016 to 2021; the number of drivers involved by year in each of these fatal road crashes; the number of uninjured surviving drivers that were involved by year; the number of uninjured drivers that were not tested for alcohol at the scene of the fatal crash; the reason that these uninjured drivers were not tested at the scene ”
As you will recall, the information you requested was not available at the time, and Minister Humphreys undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
The Garda authorities have provided me the below tables:
Yearly breakdown of the number of fatal road traffic collisions from 2016 to 2021:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
172
|
140
|
130
|
130
|
136
|
124
|
Yearly breakdown of the number of drivers or motorcyclists involved in a fatal road traffic collision from 2016 to 2021:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
256
|
198
|
182
|
190
|
191
|
197
|
Yearly breakdown from 2016 to 2021 of the number of uninjured drivers or motorcyclists involved in fatal road traffic collisions:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
88
|
75
|
71
|
64
|
73
|
68
|
Yearly breakdown from 2016 to 2021 of the number of uninjured drivers or motorcyclists involved in fatal road traffic collisions that were not tested for alcohol at the scene of the collision:
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
16
|
10
|
13
|
10
|
12
|
16
|
As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for all Garda operational matters, including roads policing matters. As Minister I cannot direct An Garda Síochána in how its members carry out these duties, including the testing of individuals for alcohol.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that the most common reason for not testing these drivers is that that the driver was not at the scene of the collision when Gardaí arrived. Another common reason is in situations where a test cannot be administered on medical grounds, or the driver has already gone to the hospital.
I trust that this information is of assistance.
