Number in Garda Traffic Corp down from 1,200 to 750
The number of Gardaí in the Traffic Corps has fallen from 1,200 in 2009 to approximately 750 last year (2014).
Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson, Road Safety Authority says that this drop in Traffic Corps numbers is a very worrying trend.
A highly visible presence of Gardaí on the road, plus the fear of enforcement, is the single biggest factor in changing people’s behaviour when using the road.
The men and women in An Garda Síochána who enforce traffic laws should be very proud of their contribution to saving lives and we owe them a great debt. They are doing a brilliant job with the resources available. However it is vital that the necessary human and technical resources are made available, to grow the number of Gardaí in the Traffic Corps.
The RSA acknowledges that recruitment and training of new Gardaí has recommenced and would request that as a priority, road safety policing and the provision of new resources to the Traffic Corps be prioritised.