I beg to move

That this Assembly notes the ongoing tragedy of deaths and serious accidents on our roads and calls on an incoming Executive to introduce a new rigorous Driver Testing framework and a Road Safety and Education programme, with the emphasis on groups most likely to be involved in road traffic accidents, reflecting international best practice, and including co-operation between all Road Safety agencies, North and South, in carrying out a safety audit of the road network and the development of a National Road Safety Campaign.

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Éirím le labhairt ar son an rúin, agus tá mé ag lorg tacaíochta dó ó achan pháirtí agus ó achan Chomhalta sa Teach seo.

I propose the motion on behalf of Sinn Féin, and in doing so I seek the support of all Members and all parties. Road deaths have no boundary of geography, class or creed, and it is unnecessary to offer any explanation to anyone here of the impact on a family of losing a loved one to a road traffic accident. Neither do I wish to reduce the motion to a list of statistics, however revealing they may be, because every Member here is familiar with them to one degree or another.

In October 2006, in the Long Gallery, Ursula Quinn provided a personal and poignant testimony to the enduring effect that a road death has on a family. That event had all-party support, and resulted in a pledge to support the efforts of the “Driving Kills” group. From personal experience, we can all acknowledge that the tragedy and grief of many families is compounded by the realisation that the accident and resultant death could have been prevented. Other families and groups who have had experience of those tragedies join us today in the Public Gallery.

The rationale behind the motion is to put a stop to the complacent attitude that road deaths are an unavoidable consequence of road use. They are not; road deaths can be avoided, and it is our responsibility to do all that we can to end that complacency in the first instance, and to seek co-ordinated, properly resourced programmes to prevent unnecessary fatalities. It is worth noting that the World Health Organization has enshrined the concept that road deaths and injuries are not inevitable consequences of increased road use.

The motion is not intended to offer or prescribe a definitive programme by which road deaths can be reduced. There are many different factors, views and initiatives, all of which can play a vital role in tackling the problem, and all important and worthy of support. The motion is designed to make the issue of reducing road deaths and injuries a programme priority for the incoming Executive, and to ensure that that Executive provide the direction, emphasis, policy and resources to achieve that aim.

The motion offers a number of key areas that Sinn Féin believes can impact on the frequency of road accidents, so that a reduction in deaths and injuries can be made. These include a more rigorous testing framework, with greater emphasis on road safety education programmes that continue after the driving test. This must be aimed at the groups that are more likely to be involved in road accidents.

A safety audit of the roads network should be carried out on an island-wide basis. That can be assisted by the development of a properly resourced national safety campaign that has the potential to become the body to hold the relevant Departments, North and South, to account.

Great work is already in place in Ireland, and further afield, highlighting the correlation between speed, alcohol and the incidence of accidents. We have to look to the international experience and their programmes and initiatives, which are beneficial in reducing death and injury, and bring them into operation here. I have no doubt that other Members will bring to the debate other programmes and experiences — and I welcome that and look forward to hearing them.

Members have to work in a co-ordinated and collective manner to ensure that all of this becomes a priority programme of work for the incoming Executive. This motion, supported by the Assembly, will provide the necessary dynamic to ensure that the incoming Executive properly address the reduction of deaths and injuries on the roads.

I propose the motion on behalf of Sinn Féin and ask for Members’ support on the issue. I apologise that I will have to leave the debate to attend the Subgroup on Policing and Justice.

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.