There has been a 55% increase in the number of motorists caught speeding in the last year.

New figures from An Garda Síochána show 64,764 speed intercepts were made between June 2018 and May 2019.

This compares to just 41,707 detections between 2017 and 2018.

Increases were also seen in detections of mobile phones (up 17%), seatbelts (up 26%) and driving while intoxicated (up 5%).

As of August 14th this year, 93 people died on Irish roads in 84 collisions.

This is an increase of six when compared to figures for the same period last year.

Up to and including August 14th, 52 drivers, 10 passengers, 15 pedestrians, 10 motorcyclists and six pedal cyclists have been killed.

Image: Facebook/An Garda Síochána

Seventy fatalities happened on rural roads with a speed limit of 80km/h or higher.

Inspector Joe O'Connor of the Roads Policing Unit in Cork North said the region has seen six road fatalities in the last month, and three of these were motorcyclists.

Nationally, there have been 10 motorcyclist fatalities so far this year - as against seven during the same period in 2018.

Gardaí are appealing to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and the need for them to be more visible at all times on the road.

Of the motorcyclists killed over the last five years, the vast majority were male drivers - and the highest risk groups were those aged between 25 and 44 years.