Increase in road deaths

There was a sharp increase in the number of people killed or injured in road accidents last year. Some 456 people were killed compared to 437 in 1995 - an increase of 19 - according to statistics from the Gardai yesterday. Some 10,469 were injured, compared to 9,784 in 1995. However, there was a reduction in the number of people killed in December and the Christmas period. A total of 37 people were killed in December, compared to 46 in December 1995.