The Road Safety Authority and An Garda Siochana have both said the cycling boom was here to stay and that motorists must get used to it and be much more aware.
Both organisations have urged all road users – drivers,
motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists – to be more considerate and exercise
caution as the Republic emerges from lock-down.
Chairperson of the RSA, Liz O’Donnell, said there many
more cyclists on the roads now compared to pre-Covid19 and she said drivers in
particular needed to adapt to that.
“They have to adapt to this new environment, which I
believe is not going to change, thousands more cyclists are on the roads,” she
told RTE News at a new road safety launch by the RSA and the Garda in Dublin
city centre on Wednesday.
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Ms O’Donnell added school children were not on their
summer holidays and that very significant numbers of people were out walking
and jogging. Because of this, it was imperative drivers who were taking to
their cars again must slow down and be more aware than ever.”
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If drivers did not slow down and become more aware of
their changed environment, the consequences could be devastating, she said.
"In the run up Covid19 travel
restrictions being put in place, we saw a spike in road traffic collisions. In
fact, over the six days from March 17th to 22nd, there were nine people killed
on the roads. I am concerned that this may be repeated as travel restrictions
are gradually lifted.”
The safety campaign was launched today because the RSA
and Garda believe many drivers will not have been out in their cars much in
recent months and when they resume driving they would find a changed
environment.
The RSA and the Garda said aside from much large numbers
of cyclists on the roads, which cycling have doubled during the Covid19 period,
a lot of road space usually reserved for vehicles had now been allocated for
pedestrians and cyclists. This was something that drivers must also get used
to.
Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Roads
Policing and Community Engagement, An Garda Síochána, said: "As the number
of vehicles is increasing, so too are the numbers of people involved in active
travelling - walking and cycling. The landscape in our cities is changing due
to the increased allocation of road space to cycle lanes and pedestrian
pathways.”
It was incumbent on drivers to be more aware
of cyclists, pedestrians and motor cyclists, all of whom were more vulnerable
road users.
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