Almost all roads in Dublin city are set to have their speed limits reduced to 30km/h as part of a new safety plan by Dublin City Council. While many residential areas already follow the lower limit, the move will now extend to routes that currently have higher speeds, with bylaws being drafted and opened for public consultation.
Dr. Caoimhe Clarke from Irish Doctors for the Environment said the reduction could have a major impact on road safety. She explained that a person hit by a car at 50km/h has a 40% chance of dying, compared to just 13% at 30km/h — a significant difference that highlights the benefits of slower speeds.
The council’s head of traffic, Brendan O’Brien, noted that even though some drivers may still exceed the new limit, average speeds tend to drop once the lower limits are in place. He said the aim is to make 30km/h the default speed across all built-up and urban areas in Dublin.