Police up the ante as road toll rises

Police are becoming increasingly alarmed at the rise in the road toll after a spate of fatal crashes.

"We are quite concerned but have no intention of just sitting on our hands and doing nothing about it," said Superintendent Paula Rose, Police National Manager - Road Policing today.

We do understand that conditions on the roads can be very challenging at this time of year with short daylight hours, low sun creating sun strike risks and hazardous weather conditions, but we will be keeping the pressure on drivers to make safe choices every time and especially around speed."

"The road toll has been steadily dropping this year and the first five months were the lowest monthly road tolls on record. The current total of 148 is 63 lower than at this time last year, but in recent weeks a number of fatal crashes around the country have threatened the trend. Last weekend two people died as the result of crashes and a number of other road users were injured, some seriously.

"Police will be focussing on speed as all things considered, speed can make such a difference when drivers face any unexpected hazard or error," she said.

"We do not want one small error to cost anybody their life and if drivers keep speeds down, match their driving to the conditions and don't drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, we believe that together we can turn this around. This is also a good time for drivers to think about the safety of their vehicle and to also consider the safety of the route they plan to take.

We want to make sure that every journey is a safer journey for every driver and every passenger - every time. "