Alcohol Related Harm on Irelands Roads Myths & Facts

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Alcohol Related Harm on Irelands RoadsMyths
Facts
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Road is safety is about.......

• Removing risk factors........

i.e. risk of being involved is a collision is
attributable to many factors.......... Inappropri
ate speed Non wearing of restraints or
helmet Inferior road infrastructure Badly
maintained or designed vehicles Impairment
(drugs, alcohol, fatigue...etc) Inexperience
drivers Vulnerable road users And many
others............
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Risk factors are not exclusive...
They are interlinked
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Road Safety interventions are classified
as...................
And like the risk factors must be interlinked.
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Ireland Road Safety Performance to
date..................
18,601 people have died........
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The National Picture............
2008
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Ireland has performed well......
The International Situation..............
In 1999 Road deaths per million population
1242008 63 but.....
Netherland are at 44 and Sweden are at 43...We
need to be striving to reach these international
benchmarks
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Risk Factor........Alcohol

• The literature on the effects of alcohol on
  driving is very extensive and very consistent
  alcohol in almost any amount impairs driving or
  driving related skills.
• In 1988 177 studies, and subsequently in 2000,
  112 studies were reviewed in reports by NHTSA
  (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
  in the USA.
• The results of the reviews can be summarised by a
  quotation from the 1988 report which stated
  there is no lower threshold below which
  impairment does not exist for alcohol. The
  combination and alcohol and driving is a deadly
  mix.

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How does alcohol effect driving ability
?...............
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Risk Factor........Alcohol at what level?
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Risk Factor........Alcohol at what level?

• Research in 2000 estimated that the risk of being
  involved in a fatal collision for drivers at BACs
  as low as 0.02-0.04g/dL is anywhere from two to
  five times higher than for drivers with BACs
  0.00g/dl.
• The same study concluded that the risk of being
  killed as driver in a single-vehicle collision is
  six to seventeen times greater for drivers at
  BACs between 0.05 and 0.07g/dL than at 0.00g/dL.
• Another study in 2002 concluded that the risk of
  being involved in any type of collision for
  drivers with 0.04g/dL was 18 higher than for
  drivers at 0.00g/dL. At 0.05g./dL the risk is 38
  higher, at 0.06g/dL it is 63 higher and at
  0.07g/dL it is 109 higher than for drivers at
  BAC of 0.00g/dL.

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Reducing BAC level........

• Decreases level of impairment in drivers
• Reduces errors
• Reduces risk of collision involvement
• Reduces deaths and serious injuries
• Reduce cost to the state.

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Will reducing BAC effect fatal traffic
collisions..........
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What happened in other countries which reduced
BAC to 0.05g/dL.......
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What happened in other countries which reduced
BAC to 0.05g/dL.......
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Arguments against reducing BAC levels........

• Claim Will reduce employment in the licensed
  trade......
• What happening after the last reduction in
  1994....

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Arguments against reducing BAC levels........
Public houses will close.....
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Are the Irish Public demanding a reduced BAC
?....
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Reducing BAC we have been through it
before.......
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We are out of step..........
Northern Ireland and Scotland are committed to
reducing to 0.05g/dL
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The Latest Evidence 2009.............
2009
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International Support...........
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A SOCIETY IN DENIAL.........
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or A Proactive Response...........
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Thank you very much for your attention