I do indeed agree with many of the posts on this site regading the standard of driving in Ireland. Having spent four months in Ireland this year, most of them in Northern Ireland, I have been able to experience at first hand the idiotic driving throughout the island. In fact, I wrote a letter to the Belfast Telegraph on this very subject after having almost met my end at the hands of a crazed driver. (Interestingly enough, an English visitor wrote to refute my statements, declaring that he had been in Ireland nine days and loved the driving!) Perhaps nine days is not enough to get the real picture.
Irish drivers MUST wise up and stop the madness. They drive with extreme prejudice against all other road users. I read the young woman’s report about being tailgated – we all have experienced that. The fool passing and surviving against all odds is just another example of the habitual moronic actions of many drivers. Trouble is, we are all involved, having to share the road with these maniacs.  It is something akin to presenting loaded automatic weapons, safety off, to small children who know only where the trigger is. If authorities, both legislative and enforcement, don’t become more agressive in the identification and punishment of this behaviour, the death toll on Irish roads will become epidemic.
It starts with parental control over vehicles driven by youth, and the Driver Training Schools. Insurance should be denied to any person who doesn’t possess a Driver Training Certification. Any moving traffic offense should trigger a requirement for attendance at a driver retraining class. Aggressive driving should merit an immediate loss of licence for a given period of time, followed by a training session at the offender’s expense and a further test on the road. Cries of “cost, cost, cost” are invalid. Ever calculate the real cost of a road crash? Add to that human suffering, loss of earnings, loss of family members, employment of accident investigators, delays to other road users caused by crashes. In Canada we have counted the cost, and done something about it.  Now it is Ireland’s turn.�
6 Comments
I grew up in Ireland, but have lived abroad for the past 12 years. I was home about a month ago for the first time in 2 years, and was blown away by just how bad the standard of driving has gotten there even in that short period of time. I live on a Caribbean island which is technically classed as a third world country (Not naming any names…) about which I often used to complain about the standard of driving, but no more. The amount of pig-ignorant and uncourteous drivers I encountered in Ireland was incredible, from tailgaters (A pet-peeve of mine) to the shithead in Dundalk that soaked me, my 10 year-old daughter and 8 year-old niece when he blasted through a puddle.
I have lived in ireland all my life and having experienced roads in other countries I fully agree with statements on the standards of driving here. Most of the solutions posed however are invalid and have the mark of an outsider looking in.
Mandatory training and parental control are both good suggestions but I can’t see that happening in the foreseeable future, however, insurance companies do offer huge reductions to new drivers who have taken training courses.
Driver retraining for a traffic offence is more of a punishment than a rehabilitation, so a fine and penalty points should suffice. If you are going to run a red light, the thought of a possible day of training isn’t going to change your mind.
Ireland doesn’t and never will have the infrastructure of Canada or the US, and a lot of newcomers to Irish roads don’t realise that aggressive driving is often necessary, if you don’t want to wait 10 minutes just to turn right. This is the way we have to drive and other road users expect it and compensate for it.
Finally, as far as I am aware, the death toll on irish roads is on par with other european countries with drink and sleep being the number one causes. Speeding comes next which I cannot condone…..
As for general courtesy on the roads, Irish drivers are horrible. I fully agree there, however, there is generally no crime committed so no punishment can be handed out.
Reduction in Premiums not a good incentive?
Having to spend one or several days retraining not a good idea?
I think it’s a great idea.
Wouldn’t you drive more carefully if you knew that you would have to spend a few days in government enforced training if caught?
And if you where offered a good reduction in premiums, is that not a good incentive to get extra training?
If the cops did more than sit on the motorway checking speed, tax and insurance people would be better behaved.
It’s exactly like a bunch of kids after teacher has left class.
There’s shouting, jumping over desks and throwing food at each other.
Time for detention…
And on the red light:
In Germany the fine is between €50 and €200, with 3 points and 1 month banned from driving.
Along with a few days retraining plus the fact that there are automated cameras on most lights (and they DO have film in them) that is a very good deterrent for people to run red lights.
And the reason you never, ever see anyone do it over there.
We have all the laws in the world, but no enforcement, so you don’t have to care. This is true for all aspects of Irish public life.
That’s why I don’t worry about yellow boxes, red lights, continuous white lines, speed limits, tailgating or overtaking in almost any situation.
Because nobody gives a shite.
Responder Shane, beware of assumptions! I too grew up in Ireland, in a gentler age, when we thought more of our fellow-man that our huge egos. I was 36 years old when I left its shores. My background since has been the conversion of terrible drivers into drivers who constantly won Safety awards. Training, training and re-training was the best answer for them. Enforcement was a last resort alternative.
Both work eminently. However, I see much in Ireland of the “throwing-up of hands” in resignation to the inevitable – bad driving. This need not be so. Driving Schools appear to prepare drivers for the Driving Test, and not much more. As soon as I obtained my licence, I applied for the test with the Institute of Advanced Motorists. That was a true “reality test” of my attitudes (and not just my knowledge) towards driving.
Schools are the ideal place to start the young driver’s learning process. But it takes a very dedicated instructor to deal with the attitudes as well as the skills of the learner-driver.
Sadly, as I write this, I see that the road death rate in Ontario, Canada, is increased by 15 as of end August. The Ontario Provincial Police have immediately responded by putting extra officers on the road – looking partucularily for aggressive drivers. Now that is a good response. Thay may save my life by this action!
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