Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy 2021 - 2030

Ireland’s fifth Government Road Safety Strategy outlines our road safety priorities for the next decade.

The primary aim of the government’s new road safety strategy is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50% over the next 10 years. This means reducing deaths on Ireland’s roads annually from 144 to 72 or lower and reducing serious injuries from 1,259 to 630 or lower by 2030.

Guiding this strategy is Vision Zero, Ireland's long-term goal of achieving zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050.

The Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 will be delivered in three phases. Phase 1 which runs from 2021 to 2024 is backed by a projected €3.8bn investment and includes 50 high-impact actions and 136 support actions.

1. Phase 1 Action Plan: 2021-2024,
2. Phase 2 Action Plan: 2025-2027 and
3. Phase 3 Action Plan: 2028-2030. 

This strategy has been developed through extensive engagement with the public and with other key stakeholders. Over 2,000 submissions from the public were considered and the public’s input on the future of road safety has helped inform the development of this strategy.

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Safe Systems Approach

Guiding our journey towards Vision Zero is the Safe Systems approach. We have identified seven Safe System priority areas which will be the focal points of our work over the next ten years.

1. Safe Roads & Roadsides
2. Safe Speeds
3. Safe Vehicles
4. Safe Road Use
5. Post-crash Response
6. Safe and Healthy Modes of Travel
7. Safe Work-Related Road Use

Shared Responsibility

One of the key underlying principles of the Safe Systems approach is shared responsibility.

The responsibility for implementing Safe Systems across road safety policies and practices is shared among government, key stakeholders and all road users alike.

There are several critical success factors that will make it possible to reach our targets. These include: 

• Political commitment
• Timely development and implementation of evidence-based policy and legislation
• Efficient data sharing and use of benchmarking across key stakeholders
• Innovation in the design of interventions and our approach to partnership-working
• Provision of essential funding for benefits realisation
• Provisions of safe, segregated infrastructure to facilitate modal shift towards active travel
• Behaviour changes due to enforcement interventions, education, and training
• Dedicated partnership-working with good governance and accountability
• Public and media support of our interventions and activities

Our road safety success in Ireland is a direct result of the commitment and dedication of our stakeholders, the Irish public and government.

Let's work together to make this decade Ireland's safest ever, as we begin our journey to Vision Zero.

Please see video below as  Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD launched Ireland’s fifth Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030.

Please see below Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy 2021 -2030 in English and Irish and also Irelands Government Road Safety Strategy Phase 1 2021-2024 Action Plan.

Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy 2021 -2030

Straitéis na hÉireann maidir le Sábháilteacht ar Bhóithre 2021–2030

Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy Phase 1 Action Plan 2021–2024

Also please find link to the Irish press release of the Launch of Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy 2021 -2030 here.