The week's sixth annual UN Global Road Safety Week, which runs until Sunday, is calling for drivers to slow down.
The theme for UN Global Road Safety Week 2021 is ‘Streets for Life #Love30’, and the UN is calling for 30km/h speed limits to be the norm in cities worldwide in places where people mix with traffic.
In Ireland UN Global Road Safety Week is supported by the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, and the Department of Transport, who are adding their voice for calls to slow down, especially in our cities, towns, and villages to protect vulnerable road users.
The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, says low speed streets are the heart of any community, and contribute to making cities safe and healthy, green and liveable.
Thirty kilometre zones in cities can also facilitate the attainment of a number of UN sustainable development goals, including those on health, education, infrastructure, sustainable cities, climate action and partnerships, she says.
"Last year, we outlined in the Programme for Government a commitment to review and reduce speed limits, which will have both road safety and environmental benefits. The greater implementation of 30km/h speed limits in urban areas in Ireland will play a part in achieving these benefits.
"For example, in January Dublin City Council launched its ‘Love30’ campaign and in April invited members of the public to provide feedback on a proposal to have a default 30km/h speed limit across most areas of the city. We need to see more local authorities being more proactive in coming forward to consult with the public on the greater roll out of 30km/h limits in our villages, towns and cities.”
The RSA is urging people to support UN Global Road Safety week by visiting www.unroadsafetyweek.org and joining the campaign to call for 30km/h speed limits to be the norm for cities, towns and villages worldwide.
The RSA will be marking the sixth UN Global Road Safety Week with a new national and local radio advertising campaign, highlighting the danger of low-level speeding and the risk it poses to vulnerable road users. It is also being supported by digital and social media advertising.
As of May 17, 2021, a total of 45 people have been killed on Irish roads this year. This represents a decline of nine deaths compared to the same date last year.
