Unacceptable rise in road fatalities

THE START of 2011 has been marked by an “unacceptable increase” in road deaths compared to last year, government road safety officials say.

January saw a 21 per cent increase in deaths, from 273 to 331, while February saw a 7.5 per cent one, with 273 deaths, up from 254.

The amount of people injured in February was similar to 2010: 5,402, up from 5,400, but injured people who required hospitalisation were up from 1,778 to 2,064.

A road safety spokesman said that everyone needed to note the increase and take more care.

He added that snowy weather in parts of France in February, compared to milder weather last year, may be partly to blame.

The figures are putting in doubt the government’s objective of keeping deaths under 3,000 this year.