The General Scheme of the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill 2026 includes amendments to the Roads Act 1993 to provide a basis for the resumption of direct sharing of road traffic collision data with local authorities.
Collision data is collected by members of An Garda Síochána at the scene of road traffic accidents. This data was previously shared with local authorities, via the Road Safety Authority (RSA), to enable them to identify locations of interest (accident blackspots) that would benefit from safety improvements. Due to the presence of personal information in the data, legal advice related to GDPR has meant that local authorities stopped receipt of collision data since November 2023. As well as sharing of the data, the local authorities have identified an issue with the legal basis to process the data, once received.
As an interim measure, the Department of Transport has been undertaking detailed collision analysis on the regional and local road network to identify locations of interest. When locations of interest are identified, the Department notifies the affected local authority. In turn, local authorities can apply for funding of low-cost safety schemes for these locations of interest.
The interactive collision location map developed by the RSA is a useful tool for roads authorities in identifying locations of interest. However, once the Bill has been enacted, it will enable the sharing of additional information, such as road surface conditions at the time of an accident and details of the road markings and the presence or absence of road edge or road centre reflectors at the scene of the accident.
The Bill has been approved by Government and is with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. It is expected that the Bill will be published shortly, with progression through the Houses thereafter subject to Oireachtas scheduling. The Bill will provide for the sharing and for the processing of the data by the local authorities.
