Measures in the Road Traffic Bill could lead to “self-evidently stupid speed limits”, the CEO of the Royal Irish Automobile Club (RIAC) has warned. 

Cabinet is due today to approve the publication of the Road Traffic Bill, which was accelerated through the Oireachtas amid the “shocking” increase in road deaths this year. 

Mandatory drug testing at the scene of the crash, penalty points reform and reducing speed limit on Irish roads are all expected to be included in the bill.  

The bill will include detailed guidance and recommendations for local authorities on reducing limits. 

Road Traffic Bill 'theoretically nice'

RIAC CEO and transport commentator Conor Faughnan said the reduction of speed limits is “theoretically nice” but could be hard to implement. 

“It could be a bad thing as well as a good thing because they're supposed to be set locally by local authorities,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“I fear fresh proliferation of self-evidently stupid speed limits.” 

He said the new guidelines and speed limit reductions could lead to unfair inconsistencies for motorists. 

“When the road doesn't change, the weather doesn't change, the layout doesn't change, but you cross an invisible county boundary, and the speed limit changes, and suddenly you're guilty of an offense,” he said. 

“There are things we have to do to fix speed limits, but I certainly don't see that as a strategic blow to improve the road safety situation.” 

Enforcement

Overall, Mr Faughnan said the Road Traffic Bill is “tweaking knobs” rather than aiming for an overhaul of road safety in Ireland. 

“It’s all done without even properly acknowledging what really is going wrong, which is enforcement,” he said. 

“Around 10 years ago, we statistically had the safest roads on the planet, bar none – better than Sweden, better than the UK. 

“What were we getting right and that we're not getting right now? 

“It wasn’t double penalty points on a bank holiday weekend – it was Gardaí. 

“We have got to fix that problem or at least acknowledge that that is the problem, rather than just, yet again, new ideas and new laws.” 

Road deaths

Other measures in the Road Traffic Bill include giving multiple penalty points in a single stop and addressing a loophole in current legislation allowing drivers to avoid penalty points which would disqualify them for six months. 

Some 180 people have been killed on Irish roads in 2023, compared to 155 fatalities in all of 2022.