Road deaths increase against previous years, with 45 killed so far in 2023

The number of people killed on the roads to date this year is higher than the same period during the last two years, with this January seeing the most fatalities in a month in more than a year.

Some 45 people have been killed in road traffic collisions since the start of the year, according to latest Garda figures.

Twenty-five of those killed were drivers, while eight were passengers in vehicles during crashes. Nine pedestrians have been killed on the roads, as well as two motorcyclists and one person who was riding an e-scooter. No cyclists have been killed on the roads so far this year.

This January was the deadliest month for road fatalities since August 2021, with 20 people killed in crashes.

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The number of road traffic fatalities so far in 2023 is one death higher than this point last year, and five higher than the same period in 2021.

The numbers killed in road collisions in 2021 was the lowest number since records began in 1959, with only 136 people killed in crashes. The number of road deaths increased to 157 last year, with this year on track to match that figure.

Susan Gray, chairwoman of road safety advocacy group Parc, said progress achieved in recent years appeared to have slipped back last year. “There’s no point being complacent if the road deaths come down,” she said.

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Ms Gray said there had been a drop in the number of motorcyclists killed on the road this year, which was positive.

The road safety campaigner called for more gardaí to be assigned to roads policing units. “There is no better deterrent than seeing a checkpoint,” she said.

Garda figures show more than 8,000 people were arrested for driving while intoxicated under the influence of alcohol or drugs last year. While a further 5,500 were arrested for dangerous driving. Some 18,500 motorists were penalised for driving while using a mobile phone, the figures show.