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LAST UPDATE | 23 Oct 2023
THE NUMBER OF deaths on Irish roads so far this year has now equalled the total number of fatalities in 2022.
A total of 155 people died on Ireland’s roads last year and figures from An Garda Síochána reveal that this figure has already been equalled with more than two months to go before the end of the year.
This means that the number of fatalities is almost one-third higher (31.3%) than it was at this time last year.
Of the 155, 53 were drivers and 32 were passengers, while 39 were pedestrians.
A further 22 were motorcyclists, five were pedal cyclists, three were e-scooter drivers or passengers, and one was a motorcycle passenger.
The number of deaths so far this year is an increase of 37 on the same time period last year, and an increase of 43 when compared to the same period in 2019.
The two most recent deaths on Ireland’s roads occurred over the weekend, when a female cyclist in her 70s was killed on Saturday afternoon in Monaghan and a pedestrian in her 80s was killed on Sunday morning in Clare.
Meanwhile, it’s been revealed via a Freedom of Information request that the Department of Transport asked the Road Safety Authority if there was anything it could do before the end of the year to target “difficult trends” that had seen the number of road fatalities this year soar.
The RSA said in a statement: “This year has seen an alarming increase in fatalities and the RSA is urging all road users to work together to keep our roads safe for the remainder of the year, particularly as we enter the winter months which present additional challenges.”
In emails exchanged in August, the Department said if there were last-minute ideas that could be implemented before 2023 was over, the Department would ensure funding was available as public pressure grew over the rising toll of fatalities.
The Department said an anticipated boost in garda funding should be “really significant” but asked if the RSA could look at other “emergency measures” that might help.
An email said: “Perhaps there are ways to build upon or amplify [your media messages], through further communications campaign targeting high risk groups or other approaches.”
FOI records showed how by the end of August, the 124 deaths on Irish roads by that stage were 24% ahead of the figure from 2022.
When compared to 2019, pre the COVID pandemic, road deaths were up by 44% in a direct comparison.
An internal briefing noted that there had been 155 total deaths in all of 2022 and how “tragically” we were well “on course to surpass that”.
-With additional reporting from Ken Foxe
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A 70% drop in road deaths compared to the early 2000′s dispite the huge increase in cars and population. Nobody ever seems to mention that.we have come along way.
I drive for a living. In the last week I’ve recorded 4 incidents on my dashcam.
1. Oncoming car overtakes a car on a bend, forcing me into the ditch
2. Car goes straight thorough a redlight in front of me, forcing me to stop at my green light
3. Car goes straight over a mini roundabout( he didn’t even see it he said) forcing me to stop on the roundabout.
4, Girl in black clothes, with no lights or and headphones on goes through her red light as I was commencing my maneuver.
It is this kind of reckless behaviour contributing to the carnage on the roads but its easier for the government to blame speeding. They will have us crawling around at a snails pace while this stupid behaviour without addressing this stupid behaviour.
All those things can be true and speeding is also a huge contributing factor too.
It’s not either/or.
@Ciaran Foster: Except that it’s not really. It’s a lazy and ‘obvious’ assumption.. but not true at all. The biggest problem on Irish roads are people who never passes a test in their lives.. and others who can’t apply logic and reason to drive appropriate to the conditions. I do a lot of driving and in 90% of the dangerous incidents I see are caused by people trying to overtake drivers who simply are not fit to drive at all.
Lots of brutal drivers in this country
As a regular driver on the N7 between Limerick and Dublin, I cant hellp but notice that many of the drivers passing me are showing ‘N’ plates and often seem to be using phones while driving.
How Many of the deaths had only recently passed test?
and how many were using social media while driving?
Just curious
@Frank Jasper: You’ll never get the exact information. It doesn’t align well with established rhetoric and results in highlighting a generation of political failure concerning transport…. Now slow down you lunatic!!
Seems most of these accidents happen on weekends. I can’t help but wonder what substances might be coursing through the drivers veins
Just put up more speed cameras and increase penalty points, RSAs lazy solution for everything as usual !!
155 road deaths in 2023 are tragic and so are the 4500 excess deaths up to the end of sept in ireland that nobody wants to talk about.
Irish drivers show little respect for pedestrians, and cyclists are the antichrist. In Spain and Austria cars give way to pedestrians at well marked and ubiquitous crossings. It’s the law, and drivers respect it.
In both of these countries the traffic light system is far superior and more efficient to what we are used to in Ireland. Pedestrian crossings everywhere show how long the green light will last and how long the red light will last. Pedestrians are given plenty of time to cross and traffic is never gridlocked.in Ireland everything is geared toward keeping traffic moving at the expense of other road users.
A final point, why do many drivers not realise that their lights are not on when it begins to get dark?
The amount of people on their phones that I see is shocking! Total disregard for other drivers. Never a guard around either to see them.
That thing that killed the 2 guys in Sligo is not from Sligo , hes not even from Ireland , stop with all the false information and open up comments , everything is closed….the Jokenal
Going to work this morning, exiting the town I live in onto a national route, as I exited a roundabout in a 50kph zone heading for a 60kph zone as I left the town a van drove at speed right behind me, swerving side to side in the lane, tailgating and settled inþo position on the right of the lane with his lights blinding me in the wing mirror, eventually as we entered the 60kph zone it overtook me on hatch markings without signalling and accellerated away. This is not an isolated incident. Since Covid driver behaviour is less patient and shows less regard for other road users, signs, road markings and speed limits. Mandatory re testing every 10 years and better public service messaging on good driver behaviour could only help improve things
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