Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority have urged motorists to observe speed limits on the roads over the bank holiday weekend.
An Garda Síochána said enforcement activity would focus on speeding, through the use of the nationwide network of mobile cameras.
Some 197 people died or were seriously injured on the roads over the Easter weekend between 2000 and 2011, according to official figures.
Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Mahoney said gardaí were encouraged that 12 fewer people had died on the roads this year, compared to the same period last year and he thanked road users for achieving this.
“We must be mindful that any mistake on the road can lead to very serious consequences for all involved,” Mr O’Mahoney said.
“This weekend brings added risks as more people are using the roads so please be extra vigilant about your safety and the safety of others.”
Mr O’Mahoney said that with extra traffic, journey times would also increase and he appealed to anyone travelling long distances to leave in plenty of time, to plan their route, to take their time and to be well rested before setting out.
Road Safety Authority chief executive Noel Brett said excessive and/or inappropriate speed was a factor in as many as one in three fatal collisions, yet some road users continued to see speed as “a target”.
“Taking risks by driving at excessive speed is a choice, and the consequences of that choice can be utterly devastating to families, friends and communities.”
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar also called on every road user, including drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists, to be “extra vigilant” about road safety over the bank holiday weekend.
So far this year, 42 people have died on the State’s roads. Three out of five were drivers and one in five were pedestrians. Some 42 per cent of those killed were aged 16 to 35, of which half were aged between 21 and 25.
Separately, Irish Rail said service on the Dart line in Dublin will be suspended between Howth and Howth Junction/Donaghmede on Sunday and Monday due to resignalling works.
Customers travelling to and from Howth, Sutton and Bayside may avail of Dublin Bus services 31 and 31B, the company said. Dublin Bus will honour valid rail tickets to and from these destinations on these dates.
The Dart resignalling project has been undertaken to modernise signalling equipment and increase the capacity for trains through the city centre. All other Dart services will operate normally, but a Sunday service is in operation on bank holiday Monday.