Causes of collisions

Every day, drivers die in road collisions.

Many die as a consequence of inexperience, speeding intoxication through drink
or drugs or just plain recklessness.

Causes of collisions
The majority of road crashes are caused by human error. Research has shown
that driver error accounts for over 80% of all fatal and injury crashes on Irish
roads
The main causes of death and injury on Irish roads remain speeding, drink
driving and non-wearing of seat-belts .
Because most traffic accidents are the product of several factors, the probability
of accidents can be reduced in a number of different ways. There is no doubt
that the following activities have prevented the increase in accidents that would
normally result from increases in traffic density. There are three main
approaches to preventing accidents:
1. Education and training of (a) children in school by road-traffic instructors
and school teachers; and of (b) adolescents in the principles of safe
driving and in good driving attitudes; by (c) refresher courses for older
drivers to bring home safe-driving principles and to refresh their
knowledge of traffic law; and by means of (d) newspaper, radio television,
and other publicity, to draw the attention of all road users both to dangers
and to safe practices on the road.
2. Enforcement by (a) adopting reasonable and enforceable traffic laws
which, at the same time, are best designed to prevent accidents; (b)
concentrating the time and energy of traffic officers on the offences,
locations, and times that feature frequently in accidents; and (c)
thoroughly testing new drivers to ensure they will not be liable to cause
accidents.
3. Engineering of vehicles and roads: Vehicle engineering, comprising (a)
regular inspection for a warrant of fitness to ensure that the main
components of the vehicle are safe; (b) improving the design of the
vehicle to give ease of vision and control to the driver and so reduce the
likelihood of injury in an accident; (c) fitting safety equipment, such as
seat belts.
Road or traffic engineering comprises (a) the design of new roads which are
inherently safe (separating opposing traffic flows, eliminating cross traffic, and
providing wide shoulders and traffic lanes and good visibility); (b) Improving
existing roads by realignment, improving vision, and resurfacing slippery

surfaces; (c) Regulating traffic movement by installing traffic signals, traffic

islands, road markings, and regulatory signs such as stop and give way
signs; and (d) assisting the driver with warning and destination signs to avoid
danger and confusion.
Below you will find more information on one of the general causes of accidents
on our roads.

Tyre Safety

Bad driving habits and road safety

There are number of things that other drivers do that can be extremely irritating
and danagerous. Bad Tailgating, poor lane discipline, not indicating and
undertaking are just a few of the bad habits that frequently and are very
annoying. Aside from the inconvenience to other road users, this kind of
inconsiderate driving is also very dangerous.
Tailgating This is probably one of the greatest offences . Some drivers are
extremely impatient , some people do it without thinking, just following traffic
they get a bit close, but then they back off as you accelerate way.
Some drivers tailgate deliberately though and these are the ones that are the
most dangerous. They sit behind you flashing their headlights in an effort to
move you, but of course there is nowhere to go as you are in the process of
overtaking and there is no room to pull in on the left. To this kind of driver, the
two second rule means that they can just about cope with another vehicle in
front of them before they decide to intimidate them by driving inches away.

Undertaking Tailgaters that dont get their way will often resort to
undertaking if they can. Yes, there are also those selfish individuals out there
that hog the middle and the outside lane. They have no idea that there is a
queue of traffic waiting to get past them, probably because they are in their own
little world thinking about what to have for dinner. This causes some individuals
to loose patience and undertake.

Poor lane discipline Some drivers are all over the place and they dont seem
to realise that they are supposed to stay in between those white dashed lines.
Indicators Some people have no idea what these pretty orange flashing lights
are actually for! They move here and there and go wherever they please without
any thought of letting the rest of the road users know what their intentions are.
These are just a few of the things that can be particularly irritating about other
drivers and their habits. Below are some other annoyances ;
Cutting corners, particularly at junctions .
No headlights in conditions that require them .
Throwing cigarettes out the window.
Leaving main beam on, or dipping only at the last minute.
Inappropriate use of the horn.
Impatient people Pushing in ahead of a queue of traffic.
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Speed

SPEED is the single biggest factor contributing to road deaths in Ireland. Over
40% of fatal collisions are caused by excessive or inappropriate speed.

A 5km/h difference in speed could be the difference between life and death for a
vulnerable road user like a pedestrian.

Hit by a car at 60km/h, 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed

Hit by a car at 50km/h, 5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed

Hit by a car at 30km/h, 1 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed

Speed has been identified as a key risk factor in road traffic injuries, influencing
both the risk of a road crash as well as the severity of the injuries that result
from crashes.
Excess speed is defined as exceeding the speed limit.
Inappropriate speed is defined as driving at a speed unsuitable for the
prevailing road and traffic conditions.
Excess and inappropriate speed are responsible for a high proportion of the
mortality and morbidity that result from road crashes.
Controlling vehicle speed can prevent crashes happening and can reduce the
impact when they do occur,lessening the severity of the of injuries sustained by
the victims.

Dropping off 3 storeys is equivalent

to crashing at 50km/h

Dropping off 12 storeys is equivalent

to crashing at 100km/h
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS SAFE SPEEDING

Think about this:

Choose your speed and you choose your consequences.
In a 60 km/h zone, travelling at:

65 km/h, you are twice as likely to have a serious crash

70 km/h, you are four times as likely to have a serious crash

75 km/h, you are 10 times as likely to have a serious crash

80 km/h, you are 32 times as likely to have a serious crash than if you
drive at 60 km/h.

In rural out of town areas, travelling just 10 km/h faster than the average speed
of other traffic, you are twice as likely to have a serious crash.
Stopping distance in Wet conditions

Stopping Distance in dry conditions

Images provided by Holroyd City Council Austrialia.

Driving in Fog
Driving in Fog
Fog can be thought of as a cloud at ground level. It forms when the temperature
drops to the dew point (the temperature at which air is saturated), and invisible
water vapor in the air condenses to form suspended water droplets. Fog can
reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. If you

can't postpone your trip until dense fog lifts -- usually by late morning or the
afternoon -- follow these tips:

Drive with lights on low beam. High beams will only be reflected back off
the fog and actually impair visibility even more.

Reduce your speed -- and watch your speedometer. Fog creates a visual
illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding.

Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open your window a little, to hear better.

Use wipers and defrosters as necessary for maximum visibility.

Use the left edge of the road or painted road markings as a guide.

Be patient. Do not pass lines of traffic.

Do not stop on a motorway or heavily traveled road.

Fog lamps may be used only in dense fog. In clear weather conditions
they are liable to cause glare or dazzle and must be turned off.

For more information, contact:

Road Safety Officer
Mayo County Council
Aras an Chontae
The Mall
Castlebar
Co. Mayo
Phone: 094 9047115
Email:roadsafety@mayococo.ie
9am to 5pm

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Prevention

Road Safety - How to Prevent Accidents

It is better to be safe than to be sorry. Prevent accidents by taking all the precautions you
can.
1. As they say speed thrills and also kills. Keep a rein on your speed, so that one is in better
control of the vehicle. Find out what causes you to speed up? Is there an urge to speed when you have a
driver close behind? Or, is it an effort to keep up with the traffic flow. Or, do you simply enjoy over-taking?
It is especially important to lower speed while nearing schools, on narrow roads, hilly areas, rural areas and
when

visibility

is

poor.

Wet

roads

and

speed

is

perfect

recipe

for

an

accident.

2. Obey traffic rules. Traffic rules have been designed with safety foremost in mind. It takes into account
safety for all, including pedestrians. Follow the lane, and keep the required distance between vehicles. It is
important to display appropriate indications/signals especially while changing lanes or before a turn.
Respect

for

other

drivers

on

the

road

is

sacrosanct

to

road

safety.

3. Wear seat belts. Seat belts are life saving. A statistic has revealed that 63% of those who died in
accidents had not strapped on their seat belts. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration (NHTSA), lap-shoulder belt systems cut the risk of serious injury and fatality by 50 percent.
Seat belts help in protecting the internal organs in a crash as it restrains the forward movement of the body
to a great extent. It protects against head and neck injuries by minimizing head contacts and keeps the
passenger

in

place.

4. Pedestrians and children come first Preference is to be given to pedestrians and children crossing
the

road.

5. Read caution signs: Caution signs are very important as they warn about accident prone spots so that
the driver can reduce the speed of the vehicle. Signboards on the road are vital clues about road design so
that

the

person

behind

the

wheel

can

exercise

caution.

6. Adopt antiskid break systems in the cars, so that the risk of cars skidding can be reduced.
7. Air

bags

in

vehicles are

must

to

cushion

the

impact

in

case

of

accidents.

8. Reflectors to be used on the rear of the vehicle. Ensure all lamps are in working condition. Hazard lamp

should

be

switched

on

when

the

vehicle

is

parked

on

highway,

9. Vehicle must be in good working condition- there should be no compromise on the quality of brakes
and tyres. Further, it is imperative to inflate tyres with the right air pressure to avoid tyre bursts on road.
10. Roads should be in good condition with proper sign boards. It is vital to install reflectors on roads
so

that

deviations

and

medians

are

clearly

visible

to

drivers.

11. Avoid drugs and alcohol while driving. Drugs and alcohol can slow down reflexes, disrupt
accurate judgments, and cause mental alertness to dip. They have been the reason behind many fatal road
accidents.
12. Falling asleep behind the wheel has led to many grave mishaps on the road. Drivers must rest well
as the lack of it can have an adverse effect on mental alertness, slow down reflexes, and even cause
momentary
The

sleepiness

behind

the

wheel.
Road

What

follows

is

disaster.
Ahead

Road safety is a collective effort of the government and people. While the government
administration must leave no stone unturned in ensuring proper condition of the roads
and enforcing strict adherence to traffic rules, responsible driving and the right attitude of
people with respect to traffic rules is perhaps the first step on the long road to 100% safety
on the roads.