Road deaths among men account for almost 80% of figures, report shows

A total of 324 drivers were killed on Irish roads over the last five years, with men representing almost eight in 10 of fatalities, according to a new report from the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
There were 2,353 drivers seriously injured between 2019 and 2023, with more than six in 10 of those male. In excess of half of the drivers killed and seriously injured were aged between 16 and 45 years.
The report outlines that an average of 65 drivers were killed and 471 drivers were seriously injured annually over the five-year period, and for every driver fatality there were seven drivers seriously injured.
A large majority (85 per cent) of fatalities occurred on rural roads while more than seven in 10 drivers were seriously injured on such roads.
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The RSA pointed out that an urban road has a speed limit of 60km/h or less while a rural road has a limit of 80km/h or more.
The highest proportion of fatalities (12 per cent) occurred in December, while high numbers of serious injuries occurred in August (10 per cent), October (9 per cent) and December (9 per cent). More than a quarter of driver fatalities occurred on a Saturday or Sunday.
Meath (9 per cent) and Cork (8 per cent) were the counties with the highest number of fatalities. Cork (13 per cent) and Dublin (11 per cent) had the most serious injuries. Two-thirds of fatalities and serious injuries occurred on a straight road.
Sam Waide, chief executive of the RSA, said drivers represented 43 per cent of fatalities and one third of serious injuries during the five-year period.
“All drivers have a huge responsibility in making sure our roads are safe for all users,” he said.
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“Whether you’re a new driver or have been driving for decades, it’s paramount to drive safely. Speeding and impaired driving continue to be killer behaviours, and it is important to stay alert and never text, use social media or talk on the phone while driving.”
A total of 139 people have been killed on Irish roads so far this year, six less compared to the same period in 2023.
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The report used data from the Irish Road Traffic Collision Database, which is based on collision records transferred from An Garda Síochána to the RSA.
Liz O’Donnell, chairperson of the RSA, told its annual conference this week that the use of mobile phones while driving was a “huge road safety challenge” and that “we should be moving towards a stigmatising of it rather than accepting it or normalising it”.