Safe road use

Examining our behaviour on Irish roads.

Dangerous behaviours such as not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, or driving while impaired, whether through drugs or alcohol, increases our chances of being involved in a collision. In fact, our research shows that almost one in five (18%) drivers and passengers killed on Irish roads in 2022 were not wearing a seatbelt¹.

Safe Road Use is one of the key elements of the Safe System approach and is designed to prevent fatalities and reduce serious injuries. It involves:

• setting road user standards, e.g. driver training and licensing requirements, 
• developing traffic legislation
• targeted enforcement
• public education and awareness campaigns
• harnessing the benefits of safety technologies

The aim of Safe Road Use is to assist all road users so that they have the knowledge, capability, willingness and technology to use the roads and vehicles safely. This means that if a collision occurs, it does not lead to death or serious injury. 

Research reports on road safety behaviours & attitudes

Our research publications cover a wide range of subjects within the road safety arena, including attitudes and behaviours around Safe Road Use, such as:

• compliance with the posted speed limit
• impaired driving (due to alcohol, drugs, fatigue or distraction)
• helmet wearing
• seatbelt wearing

^{1. Source: RSA Road Traffic Collision data. Figures are provisional and subject to change.} 

Our safe road use reports