THE introduction of random breath testing has resulted in 50 fewer road deaths in 2006.

An analysis of death rates for the past 12 months shows that since mandatory tests for drivers were introduced last July fatalities in subsequent months have been lower than in each of the corresponding months in 2005. This represents a 27% drop in lives lost on Irish roads on the corresponding period in 2005 and, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), 400 fewer serious injuries.

“There is no doubt that this measure is working,” said Brian Farrell of the RSA. “Overall there has been an 11% drop in fatal crashes and an 8% drop in fatalities this year compared to the last. Much of this improvement has happened since mandatory alcohol testing was introduced.”

Roisin Shortall, the Labour party’s transport spokesman, said the results showed random breath testing should have been introduced much sooner. “I regret it took the government so long to bring it in. This has been talked about since 1998,” she said. “There are 50 families not mourning the loss of a loved one this Christmas,” she added.

A provisional breakdown of road deaths up until last Friday shows that there has been 365 fatalities. This represents the second-lowest death rate since 1965, when 356 people were killed. In 2003 road deaths in Ireland fell to 335, the lowest since 1965, but rose again to 374 in 2004 and 396 in 2005. But the figures are still in excess of the 300 target set by the government.

The effect of random breath testing can be seen in the figures since July. In each of the months since its introduction there has been an average of eight fewer deaths a month than in 2005. Under the new rules, gardai have the power to test drivers without first having to form a suspicion that they are driving under the influence of alcohol.

In December alone the number of fatalities was down by 12, compared to December 2005. Gardai have been operating checkpoints since the introduction of the new measure and, this weekend, revealed that 101 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving between Christmas Day and December 27.

Since the introduction of random breath testing, an average of 350 to 400 drivers a week have been detected with illegal alcohol levels.

“Increased enforcement is one of the reasons breath testing has worked,” Shortall said. “As soon as the government started to get serious on this issue, it made a difference. The message went out to gardai that the level of enforcement needed to be sustained throughout the year. It’s only when people realise there’s a very real chance of being caught if they speed or drink-drive that they change their habits.”

She argued that a further decrease in road deaths could be produced if Ireland improved driver training.

“We’re the only country in Europe that allows provisional drivers to drive unaccompanied. There’s 140,000 on waiting lists for tests and another 260,000 on provisional licences,” she pointed out.

The figures for 2006 confirm that young, possibly inexperienced males are most at risk of dying on our roads. Of the 365 who died, 268 were male. The vast majority of the total killed, 124 or 34%, were between 16 and 25.

A high number of elderly people, 44, aged from 71 upwards, were killed while 10 children under 5 also died in road accidents.

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