Noel Brett also wants insurance companies to give discounts to motorists driving cars that have the latest safety technologies.
“Currently insurance companies offer discounts on home insurance premiums for householders who install a monitored burglar alarm system," he said after being shown such systems on Volvo cars. "Similar discounts could apply to motor insurance premiums where cars and vans have safety features such as pedestrian detection and protection.”
In Ireland, there have been 23 pedestrian fatalities this year and pedestrians account for approximately one in every five fatalities on Irish roads. In the EU countries' capital cities, 1,560 people died in road accidents in 2007. Of these, 43 percent were pedestrians.
Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection has been introduced as an option on the new Volvo S60. It can detect a pedestrian in front of the car and will brake automatically if the driver doesn't react in time.
Pictured at the Irish launch of the S60 are Gay Byrne, chairman of the RSA; Noel Brett, CE of the RSA; and David Baddely, MD Volvo Cars Ireland.
