Enforcement Zones Increased
Since 2010, An Garda Síochána has contracted a service provider ‘GoSafe’ to operate safety cameras on its behalf. Safety cameras only operate on sections of road which have a history of collisions occurring where speed was a contributory factor. The areas where the cameras are operating are available to the public on the Garda website.
‘GoSafe’ monitoring commenced operation on a phased basis in November 2010 and reached full operational capacity in March 2011. GoSafe are contracted to provide a minimum of 6000 hours speed enforcement per month as directed by An Garda Síochána. GoSafe are also set key performance indicators to ensure enforcement is targeted at key days and times – with a particular emphasis on night time and weekends. From 1st November 2010 to 31st December 2012, more than 408,000 fixed charge notices were issued as a result of detections from both GoSafe and Garda operated Robot vans for non-intercept speeding offences. ~
GoSafe have completed over 162,000 hours of enforcement since its launch and 26,500 hours of surveys. Following the introduction of the safety cameras most zones saw a dramatic and sustained improvement in compliance with speed limits. The number of vehicles detected continues to fall as drivers modify their behaviour and on average less than 1 person per hour of enforcement is detected by GoSafe.
The results of speed surveys show in the two years from January 2011 to January 2013, compliance with the posted speed limit has increased:-
- · in 50 km/h zones from 62% to 93% compliance,
- · in 60 km/h zones from 78% to 91% compliance,
- · in 80 km/h zones from 89% to 97% compliance,
- · in 100 km/h zones from 96% to 99% compliance.
In the same period road deaths fell to record lows with 186 deaths in 2011 and 162 deaths in 2012. Similarly between 2004 and 2008 the proportion of fatal collisions occurring in the GoSafe zones was approximately 30%. In 2012 this had reduced to 17%, or 26 road deaths. In human terms this 13% reduction occurring in GoSafe zones represents 20 fewer fatal road traffic collisions in 2012 alone.
For further information, visit the Garda website: www.garda.ie
