Tipperary had the highest number of road deaths in the country in 2023

Tipperary had the highest number of road fatalities in the country this year, according to new figures from the Road Safety Authority. 

The Provisional Review of Fatalities report found that 16 people lost their lives on roads in Tipperary in 2023. 

This is more than double the deaths compared to 2022, when seven people died in Tipperary.

The last time the Premier County saw double digits in fatalities was in 2019, with 13 deaths, according to statistics by the RSA. 

This year Tipperary was followed by Cork and Dublin (15), Galway (13) and Mayo (12). 

Nationally

Nationally, 184 people died in 173 collisions in 2023, a 19% increase.

This is the highest number since 2014, when 192 people lost their lives on Irish roads. 

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Jack Chambers, said the Government is introducing legislation, which may help reduce these numbers in the future. 

 “2023 has been a heart-breaking and devastating year on Irish roads for so many families and communities all over Ireland. Our thoughts are with all those impacted as we head into a new year. We were able to progress a number of important reforms in 2023 which are specifically targeted at the lifesaver offences which we know are the main contributors to fatal road collisions. 

The Road Traffic Bill received cabinet approval in December, and we will be working to have this essential piece of legislation progressed through the Dáil in early 2024. Work is well underway on a number of other initiatives in partnership with other Government departments and agencies to be delivered throughout this year.

“I would also like to pay tribute and special thanks to our emergency services and first responders who do incredible lifesaving work in the most challenging circumstances,” said Mr Chambers. 

The report this year showed that 57% were killed in single-car collisions an increase of five percent on 2022. 

There was increase in fatalities across all road users. 

A third of those who died on the road were drivers (69), and a quarter were pedestrians (44). 

This is the highest number of pedestrians since 2011. 

There was a 49% increase in fatalities among the 16-25 age group and a decrease of 22% in the 56 plus. 

Men accounted for 78% of fatalities and women 22%

Of fatalities, 71% happened on rural roads while 29% in urban areas.

Behaviour and Risk

The Chief Executive of the RSA Mr Sam Waide, said some days and times present a higher risk on roads.

“Weekends, late nights and early mornings have been high risk periods throughout the year. Despite lower traffic volumes, these time frames feature high numbers of collisions. 

“The evidence suggests that these periods present greater risks in terms of driver behaviours like drink and drug-driving and fatigue. We are targeting these behaviours with new awareness and education initiatives, such as the SAY IT campaign, which commenced two weeks ago,” said Mr Waide.

The highest number of fatalities happened in May, August and October. 

And the lowest in June and September. 

Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries, Garda National Roads Policing Bureau (GNRPB), said gardaí have been targeting behaviours associated with a higher risk of crashing. 

“We foremost think of each one of the families and friends that have been left devastated by the loss of a loved one on Irish roads in 2023. When a person is killed or seriously injured in a road traffic collision it has a lasting impact on so many in our communities.

“Throughout the past twelve months, gardaí nationwide have remained focused on detecting those committing the offences known and proven to be leading factors in serious injury and fatal road traffic collisions. This year, gardaí conducted over 87,700 checkpoints. Some 7,707 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. In the region of 200,000 speeding offences were detected, over 5,300 fixed penalty notices were issued for not wearing a seatbelt and more than 18,800 motorists were fined by gardaí for using their mobile phone.

“These figures demonstrate that, while the majority of road users support our collective work to keep people safe by adhering to the rules of the road, there are still plenty that need to reflect on their driving behaviours. There is room for improvement. As we head into 2024, we must all pay close attention to our collective responsibility to make Irish roads safer and to reduce the number of lives lost and people seriously injured in road traffic collisions,” said Chief Supt Humphries.