Gardaí have urged all drivers to take extra care following a tragic summer on Irish roads.

Nine people have died in four tragic crashes in the past week alone.

On Friday, four young people died in Clonmel on the way to a Leaving Cert celebration.

On Tuesday, two grandparents and their grandson died after the car they were in hit a wall near Cashel; two adults are also in hospital in a serious condition.

Yesterday, a man in his 40s died in a single-vehicle collision in Carrowreagh, Bridge End, Donegal and in Portlaoise, Laois a three-year-old girl died after she was hit by a car.

Superintendent Liam Geraghty said the trend is concerning.

“We’re definitely seeing an increase in road traffic collisions on our roads, not just this year, but last year, following on from what would be a reasonably good road safety record up to 2019 and 2020,” he said.

“At times, we take using our roads for granted, they are a dangerous place.

“It is the most dangerous activity that any individual will do on any given day.”

'Losing momentum'

So far this year, there have been 124 deaths on Irish roads so far this year.

Earlier this month, the Road Safety Authority revealed the number of road fatalities in Ireland in the first six months of 2023 was the highest number in six years.

In a statement, RSA CEO Sam Waide described the figures as “alarming” and said if the trend continued there would be 168 lives lost on Irish roads in 2023.

“The evidence suggests that as a society we are losing momentum when it comes to road safety - with tragic consequences,” he said.

“We could see 168 homes with an empty place at their table this Christmas time.”

Former Transport Minister Shane Ross said he was “very concerned” by the numbers and that the Government’s strategy to reduce fatalities on the roads was “just in bits”.

Main image: Garda car at the scene of a crash.