Why deaths on Irish roads keep rising - and five ways to stop them

2026 is on track to become one of the worst years for Irish road deaths in a decade

Listen | 31:33
Floral tributes at the scene of the crash near Dundalk in November 2025 in which Chloe McGee, 23; Alan McCluskey, 23; Dylan Commins, 23, Shay Duffy, 21; and Chloe Hipson 21, lost their lives. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins, Dublin.
Floral tributes at the scene of the crash near Dundalk in November 2025 in which Chloe McGee, 23; Alan McCluskey, 23; Dylan Commins, 23, Shay Duffy, 21; and Chloe Hipson 21, lost their lives. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins, Dublin.

There have been 45 deaths on Irish roads so far this year – that’s six more people than this time last year. Tragically, 2025 ended as the deadliest on Irish roads in more than a decade with 190 fatalities. Why?

What makes Ireland so different from our European neighbours who are successfully tackling this devastating problem?

Business economist Sinead O’Sullivan, skilled in collating and analysing data, was prompted by the high level of road deaths to explore the figures to see if she could see a pattern and, by assessing what happens in other countries, suggest five proven solutions.

Her findings led her to conclude that this is a public health crisis and needs to be treated as such.

On this podcast she explains what those five actions are and why a lack of accountability at official level is costing young lives by ignoring the clear pattern of preventable harm.

O’Sullivan runs a road safety accountability campaign at stoproaddeaths.ie.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast

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