Ireland’s on Course to Record Highest Number of Road Deaths in a Year

NewsVolume 27

12 Apr

By Deputy News Editor Marc Galdes

*Photo of: Gardaí checkpoint. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo*

Mother Una Carlin Bowden, 47, and her daughters Ciara,14, and Saoirse, 9, all tragically died in a car crash after being hit by a lorry on the N17 outside Claremorris, Co Mayo, on 28 March, whilst they were returning home from visiting family in Donegal.

Unfortunately, this incident does not stand alone. As of 1 April, there has been a total of 58 people who have died on Irish roads so far this year, reports reveal. Easter’s Bank Holiday weekend included a total of three road fatalities from three separate incidents.

The Irish Independent has calculated, that as of 28 March, the number of fatalities is 31 per cent higher than the same period in 2023, with 13 more road deaths.

Last year, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA) some 184 people were killed on Irish roads which marked the highest number of road fatalities in almost a decade and marks a 19 per cent increase compared to 2022. Road fatalities obviously dropped during the pandemic, but this number was also 33 per cent higher in 2019, before the pandemic.

At an EU level, data released by the EU Commission show that Ireland is among a minority of countries where road deaths increased in 2023 when compared to 2022. Having said that, the latest European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) statistics showed that Ireland has a road death rate of 31 per one million residents, which is far lower than other EU countries, such as the Netherlands, Italy and France. Nevertheless, An Garda Síochána and the RSA have both expressed their concerns over the rising numbers.

The RSA launched a new ‘Vision Zero’ campaign in September, which aims to eliminate road deaths by 2050 and a 50 per cent reduction by 2030. However, if this trend of road deaths continues, then Ireland will be on course to record the highest number of road fatalities in a year.

PARC, a road safety campaign group, has urged for stricter enforcement of driving regulations, greater resources allocated to garda road policing units, and the requirement for learner drivers to pass a test before obtaining another learner permit.

What is the root cause of this spike in road deaths? Garda Inspector Paul Donohoe, in February, told reporters that speeding and using your mobile phone whilst driving are the main factors contributing to all road fatalities. Also, driving under the influence is still at large as the RSA had conducted a survey which found that one in 10 people drove a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.