Ireland Matches 2022’s Entire Road Death Toll in Just Ten Months, Raising Concerns
Ireland has witnessed a concerning trend in road fatalities, with the death toll for 2023 reaching 155, equaling the entire count for 2022, and this comes with two months still remaining in the year. The gravity of the situation became even more apparent as the 155th person lost their life in a tragic accident involving an e-scooter and a van in Rusheen, Riverstown, Co. Sligo.
Comparing this year’s figures to the same period in the previous year, road deaths have increased by over 30%. By the same time last year, 118 fatalities had been recorded, marking a significant rise in the first ten months of this year.
Of particular concern is the fact that road deaths have surged almost 40% higher than the same period in 2019. The victims represent a range of road users, with 38 involving pedestrians, 53 drivers, 32 passengers, 22 motorcyclists, 4 e-scooter users, 5 pedal cyclists, and 1 pillion passenger.
This disturbing surge in road fatalities has occurred amid a decline in the number of Gardaí dedicated to traffic policing. In July alone, 14 officers left the dedicated Road Policing Units, coinciding with a month in which 17 people tragically lost their lives on Irish roads.
These revelations have raised alarm, especially as the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and Garda chiefs have expressed deep concern over the recent spike in road deaths. The situation has prompted discussions on what measures and responses are needed to address this pressing issue.
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