IMO President, Prof. Sean Tierney today signed the European Road Safety Charter on behalf of the Irish Medical Organisation giving a three year commitment to continue to promote road safety strategies.

In April 2004, at the meeting of the European Transport Ministers in Dublin, the European Union presented an ambitious initiative to reduce the number of fatalities on Europe’s roads as the conditions of precarious road safety were responsible for more than 50,000 fatalities a year. This is the context in which the European Road Safety Charter was created with the declared purpose to support any kind of initiatives by member states to improve road safety.

Prof. Tierney said; “Being invited to sign the European Road Safety Charter clearly shows that the IMO continues to have an important role in addressing the issue of Road Safety in Ireland and we very much welcome that.”

He said; “The foundation of our research and policies are identified by IMO members working directly with road trauma patients in hospitals and rehabilitation services, or by public health specialists who observe trends in road traffic accidents and their connection with other health related issues such as the influence of drugs and alcohol.”

The IMO have been highlighting the issue of road safety as far back as 1995 and have adopted over 47 motions. Recently they adopted four additional motions at their 2010 Annual General Meeting.

• Introduce a speed limit of 30kph in all urban and residential areas
• Implement legislation to reduce the legal drink driving limit without delay
• Implement legislation for the mandatory testing for alcohol and other substances of all drivers in injury crashes without delay
• Introduce legislation to ensure that all persons guilty of drink driving go for mandatory assessment and are offered rehabilitation.

In 2005 the IMO published a position paper on Road Safety and this will now be updated as part of our overall responsibility to our members and the patients they treat.

Jointly with the BMA [NI] the Irish Medical Organisation also presented a joint document on Road Safety to MEPs at the European Parliament, Brussels in 2007.

The IMO will continue to advocate road safety strategies through research, submissions and policy to influence change at national level.