Gardaí have warned that the New Year is one of the most dangerous times to be a driver.
The Christmas Road Safety Campaign continues until January 6th and motorists are being urged to pull together to reduce road deaths following another year of tragedy on Irish roads.
Chief Superintendent of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau Jane Humphries, said people need to take more care and attention when behind the wheel.
“We know that when we all collectively pull together that we can [reduce] the fatalities on our roads,” she said.
“Drive with more care and consideration; collectively we are able to reduce the number of fatalities on our roads.”
Gardai at the scene of a road crash at the Ballynacarry Bridge on the N53. Image: Liam McBurney/AlamySo far, 179 people have been killed on Irish roads this year; the figure is slightly lower than the 184 who died in 2023.
However, it is noticeably higher than the 155 who died in 2022.
In 2023, then Minister of State for Transport said described the rising number of deaths of Irish roads as an “absolutely shocking” trend and said reducing that figure was a priority for his Government.
In April, the Road Safety Act was signed into law by President Higgins; the legislation reduced speed limits, changed penalty points and makes it easier for Gardaí to drug test a driver involved in a crash.
Main image: A hearse passes the Garda cordon near the scene of a crash. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie
