European Day Without A Road Death 2017

Europe wide day of road safety see’s Gardaí increase visibility across the country.

An average of 70 people die on European roads per day, that’s 70 journeys that citzens of Europe set out on but never complete, each and every day. That’s 70 knocks on 70 doors and 70 pieces of dreaded news delivered. 70 families left raw and numb with the shock. In Ireland alone last year 186 people lost their lives, while these figures are going in the right direction, road traffic deaths remain one of the highest preventable causes of death in the country and across Europe. Thus Project Edward was launched in 2016. Last year the day went ahead as planned and 43 road deaths were recorded across the continent. This is a significant drop on the usual average figures of 70 per day, however the European Traffic Police Network (TIPSOL) are aiming to drop the figure even more in 2017.

The aim of the project is effectively to instill a safety conscious mindset to citizens of Europe for the day and to then extend that beyond one day, thus reducing the number of fatalities on Europe’s roads. The scheme see’s a massive level of cross collaboration between traffic police from across Europe, all 30 member countries of TIPSOL, as well as road safety organizations and other well-known brands. The project will see a massive increase in Garda presence on Irish roads as well as massive promotional campaigns by bodies such as the Road Safety Authority, the National Irish Safety Organization and the Health and Safety Authority Ireland. With widespread support also coming from government officials.

Pearse White, Director of the Road Safety Authority is a big believer in the scheme:

Road safety is a shared responsibility, just as our roads are a shared space. None of us has the right to behave in a way that endangers others. You might think that it’s ok to drive a little bit above the speed limit, or to just have a couple of drinks and drive home, or to not bother putting your seatbelt on in the car. But the tragic reality is that these actions could have serious and devastating consequences for others. There are no more excuses – we need to improve how we use the road.

The best way to get involved and contribute to Project Edward is simply staying safe and obeying the rules of the road. Motorists should also be wary of the increased presence of Gardaí across the country; you don’t want to have a few penalty points tacked onto your license for going marginally over the speed limit or using your phone while stuck in traffic!

If you want to go further then you can make a road safety pledge to TIPSOL on the Project Edward page, or you can help spread the word about this very worthy campaign.

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