Roads Policing Message

Road Deaths January to August

There have been 136 road deaths so far in 2023. This is an increase of 24 deaths on this time

Last year. Of the 136 road deaths, 35% of the deceased have been under 25 year old.

There has also been a 40% increase in pedestrians killed on our roads since last year and a staggering 88% increase in passengers killed.

Eight out of nine driver fatalities in the under 25 category, were male.

Aggravating Factors in Fatal Collisions

Seatbelts: 30% of drivers/passenger fatalities this year were not wearing seat belts.

Results from a recent survey found that while 96% of drivers say they always wear a seat belt, this figure drops to 83% when people are travelling in the back seat of a car. Forgetting to put on seat belt is the main reason for not wearing it.

If you are over 17 you are legally responsible for wearing your seat belt in a vehicle whether you are a driver or a passenger. Responsibility lies with the driver to ensure that all passengers under the age of 17 wear a seat belt or have a proper child restraint.

DUI: Driving while intoxicated continues to be a problem on Irish roads. I would appeal to people to;

Never, ever drink / drug drive
Book a taxi or use public transport
Nominate a ‘designated driver’
Make sure you are alcohol free the next morning

A recent survey in Ireland showed that in the intervening years 2013-2017, 37% of fatalities, which had a toxicology result available, showed a positive result.

Speed:

Speeding is the biggest contributing factor to road deaths in Ireland, it’s a factor in one third of all fatal collisions.

The higher the speed, the greater the likelihood of a collision happening. We are asking people to slow down and always drive within the speed limits.

Holding Mobile Phone:

Mobile phones are the number one distraction to drivers on Irish roads. Despite the fact that using mobile phones while driving is killing people on our roads, people continue to text, make phone calls, take selfies or update their social media pages while driving. Statistics show that making a call makes a driver four times more likely to be involved in a collision and texting makes a driver 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision.

Concerns:

Evenings getting shorter
Winter weather approaching
Children back to school

Appeal:

We are appealing to drivers to take care on the roads.

Plan your journey.
Keep to the speed limit.
Do not get distracted by your phone or anything else.
Drive according to the road and weather conditions
Never drink/take drugs and drive
Watch out for vulnerable road users

Driving is the most dangerous thing a person will do on a weekly basis. It needs to be treated accordingly. (Figures correct on the date of publication)

Sergeant Gavin Coleman, DMR Roads Policing Division