The correlated data shows that in the period between 1970 and 2004, Ireland's road-death rate has decreased by 31%, from a high of over 540 deaths to an average of 385 in the 24 months of 2004-2005. In the same period, traffic fatalities decreased in north America by 21%. Looking exclusively at western European countries, Ireland's rate of fatal accidents has been on a gradual decrease of around 2.6% per year. In eastern European countries, fatalities increased by 3% from 1970 to 2004.

The OECD report, carried out in conjunction with the European Council of Transport Ministers, also indicates that, far from being problems that are uniquely Irish, the issues of speeding and drink driving are international blights on the rates of roadtraffic fatalities worldwide.

Sixty-one per cent of the 50 countries surveyed cited speeding while 58% cited drink driving as the top two problems. Ireland does figure within the top range of states which have a high proportion of drink driving related road fatalities, alongside Canada, France, the USA, and New Zealand.

The report notes that young drivers represent the most at-risk group across all the 50 surveyed countries. "They are clearly over-represented in crash fatalities and young males are most exposed, " the report states.

Young drivers account for about 27% of driver fatalities across OECD countries, although this category only accounts for about 10% of the population. In Ireland, an analysis of NRA road-collision statistics shows that drivers under 25 years of age account for approximately 30% of traffic fatalities . . . in line with international norms.

International statistics indicate that Ireland is in the bottom half of the table of road fatalities when deaths are measured per 100,000 of population. The rate of Irish road fatalities using this measurement is 8.4 persons per 100,000, dramatically lower than the USA (14.7), Belgium (13.1), Portugal (14.8) and Greece (19.3).