AA Ireland has said that traffic incidents are up significantly in Ireland, as we start to hit the roads again with the relaxation of lockdown rules.
Traffic incidents up by more than a third
In fact, the number of incidents and accidents that cause delays has risen by more than a third - 36 per cent to be precise - in just the past week, according to AA Roadwatch. We reported a further increase of 36 per cent in traffic incidents on the roads last week, the first week of intercounty travel. The average weekly incidents reported by AA Roadwatch has now nearly doubled since the 5km radius was lifted on April 12th," said AA Roadwatch Deputy Editor Lauren Beehan.
The rise in incidents is moving in direct proportion to the relaxing of lockdowns. According to AA Roadwatch, when the 5km rule was in place, they were reporting an average of 34 traffic incidents per week. That rose to 46 per week when the 'travel in your own county' rule was introduced, and it has jumped to 63 per week since travel rules were further relaxed on the 10th. Congestion, especially during the morning rush hour, is also up.
Public transport figures still low
According to the AA's research, traffic volumes have rebounded to between 80 and 85 per cent of their pre-pandemic levels. Dublin's M50 orbital motorway, usually the busiest road in the country, has seen its traffic volume spike by 20 per cent since the 5km rule was eased, and is back to 87 per cent of its previous capacity.
Traffic on the M11 has risen by 41 per cent, and on the M1 by 44 per cent. According to the Central Statistics Office, the fact that we are still reluctant to return to public transport is likely driving the increase in traffic - public transport usage is still "dramatically lower" than it was pre-pandemic.
Breakdowns on the rise
The AA's breakdown assistance service has also seen an increase in daily breakdown callouts since the lifting of inter-county restrictions. So far in May, the AA attended to an average of 237 breakdowns per day, with a peak of 307 per day on Monday of this week, following on from the first weekend of inter-county travel.
The AA is urging motorists to exercise caution as traffic volumes return to normal levels, with many drivers now returning to routes that might have changed significantly during Level 5 restrictions. "If you are travelling somewhere for the first time in a while, bear in mind that some road layouts have changed, particularly within town and city centres. If driving, be extra mindful of pedestrians and cyclists who may need more room for physical distancing," said AA Ireland Head of Communications Paddy Comyn.