Irish Driving Instructors Association

European Road Safety Charter

In the European Road Safety Charter, the European Union invites institutions, associations and companies to commit to an action specifically intended to reduce road deaths across Europe and to share ideas and practices in the hope that all can learn from each other and together improve the road death situation

European Road Safety Event

A Road Safety Event was held in the offices of the European Union, Dawson Street, Dublin on 26th June 2007

The occasion was honoured by the presence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr Paddy Burke.

The event was opened by Mr Martin Territt, Head of the European Commission Representation, who welcomed all present and spoke of the need for road safety to be a major concern for all

This was followed by an address from Mr Brian Farrell, RSA, Department of Transport, who spoke of our poor record but outlining the positive action in recent years, such as random breath testing and the improvement in the past year but especially improvements this year and offered the hope that this trend will continue

Mrs Aude Delesalle, European Road Safety Charter Coordinator and Mrs Anna Marczyk, European Road Safety Charter, then both spoke on the concept of the Charter, the progress since the foundation and how it was hoped ot would progress in the coming years.

Tes timonials on the success and positive effects of the Charter were then given by Mr Conor Faughnan, Public Affairs Manager, AA - Ireland, and Mr Colm Hamrogue, President, Union of Students in Ireland, both active ERS Charter signatories in Irealnd.  

There followed the signing ceremony

Those signing on this occasion were

An Post

AXA Prevention Ireland

Dublin City Council

Irish Driving Instructors Association

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Services

Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland

Each person signing spoke for a number of minutes on their commitment Cathy Bacon, Chairperson signed on behalf of the IDIA Cathy then spoke on the IDIA commitment to promote accompanied driving for learners, consisting of a mix of professional tuition and accompanied driving as the proven "best practice" for creating safer driving throughout Europe and beyond.

 Cathy sgning the Chater                    Cathyspesking in the IDIA committemnt

Our Commitment

In Ireland there is no accompanied driving of any significance. The law states that a person can drive on his or her second provisional driving licence un-accompanied but that a person on his or her first, third or subsequent provisional driving licence must be accompanied by the holder of a full driving licence in the same class.

Over the next 3 years we will through our members, our newsletters and two annual open public seminars, actively promote accompanied driving in conjunction with professional tuition for learners, targeting approximately 50,000 learners per year.

European Road Safety Event
Dublin
26 June 2007