Many drivers have nothing but “pure selfishness” when it comes to road deaths, according to one activist who lost his daughter in a crash. 

Some 184 people died on Irish roads in 2023, a 10-year high and a 19% increase compared to last year. 

As of today, January 6th, seven people have died in road crashes, including three on the same day in separate crashes. 

Irish Road Victims Association board member Leo Lieghio said he has felt a “combination of shock, sadness disillusion, anger” amid escalating road deaths. 

“I just can’t understand what the hell is going on,” he told Newstalk. 

Mr Lieghio lost his own daughter Marsia in a hit-and-run in 2005. 

He said road safety had seemed to improve for a few years. 

“We were making progress and then bang all of a sudden, people stopped listening,” he said. 

“Why people can't listen, why won’t they listen? 

“I've been saying this for a long time, but some people just will not listen.” 

'Pure selfishness'

Mr Lieghio said he has spoken to “tens of thousands of TY students over the years”, urging them to practice road safety from the get-go. 

Despite this, it appears to Mr Lieghio that people don’t understand how important his warnings are. 

“I wouldn’t wish it on anybody, but I don’t think until it comes knocking on their door, I don’t think they’re going to understand it,” he said. 

“To be sitting beside your daughter’s bed, praying for their survival, they have no idea what’s that like. 

“Finally, when you have to turn off that life support machine, it’s something you just can't explain. 

“People don’t understand, and I just don’t understand what's going through their heads – pure selfishness.” 

Preventing road deaths

Mr Lieghio said there is no strong deterrent that can prevent reckless driving and accidents. 

“We need a combination of speed limiters on cars, interlocking devices to stop people driving under the influence of drink, double the penalty points for the big offences,” he said. 

“Repeat offenders need to be punished severely – cars taken off them, confiscated, destroyed, imprisonment.” 

The Government is currently passing the Road Traffic Bill through the Dáil, which includes mandatory drug testing and reducing speed limits.

He said the Government isn’t protecting innocent lives. 

“Those in the Dáil need to stop playing politics with people’s lives and act immediately. 

“Not running papers through the Dáil when it’s going to take a year or two years – people are dying now.” 

Marsia Lieghio was 16 years old when she was hit by a car while crossing the road. 

Gardaí have reported today traffic on the N16 towards Sligo is closed because of a crash. No further information is available at this time.