Half of all people killed on the roads in Dublin city are pedestrians and more than 80 per cent are either pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists, according to figures complied by Dublin City Council.
The figures, compiled over a five-year period, are the first detailed breakdown of fatal collisions in the city and include not only the categories of those killed, but their ages and the types of vehicles that were involved in their deaths.
Vulnerable road users, which the council defines as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, account for the vast majority of road deaths at 83 per cent, while car drivers account for just 13 per cent of road deaths in the capital.Half of those killed were pedestrians, 13 per cent were cyclists and 20 per cent were motorcyclists.
Almost all motorcyclists killed were male and under 30 years of age. More than half of the pedestrians killed were over 70 years of age and more than two-thirds (70 per cent) were over 50, while 10 per cent were under the age of 20. Two-fifths of cyclists killed were over 50.
Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) or buses were involved in the majority of cyclists' deaths, cars and vans accounted for most motorcyclist fatalities, while the majority of pedestrians were killed by cars.
More than three-quarters of cyclists killed in the city were hit by either a HGV or a bus and in many cases the large vehicle was making a left turn when the collision occurred. More than two-thirds of motorcyclists killed were involved in a collision with a van or a car, while just 40 per cent of pedestrians died after being struck by a HGV or a bus.
The council has decided to sign up to the European Road Safety Charter on foot of these figures, with the aim of reducing the number of vulnerable road users killed by 20 per cent over the period 2007 to 2009.
"This is a commitment to solid progress to reducing the appalling slaughter on our city streets," said Cllr Kevin Humphreys, leader of the Labour Group on the council.
The council would be looking at international best practice, but would also continue its own initiatives to reduce road deaths, he said.
"We have already seen an improvement in accident reduction since HGVs were banned from the city during daytime hours, we now need to continue with engineering and traffic management measures, including improvements in cycle lanes," Mr Humphreys said.
