GARDAÍ reported that 17 people have died on Irish roads since before Christmas. This comes alongside a road safety warning from the police force as temperatures were forecast to plummet to as low as -8 degrees in Limerick this week.
A total of 174 people were killed in road collisions in Ireland in 2024, including 15 deaths in December alone.
The first week of 2025 saw two people killed on the roads.
In Limerick there were a number of tragic road deaths throughout the year.
Mother of one Marguerita O’Rourke (21) was laid to rest just two weeks ago after she was crushed when a van hit a gate she was standing by in her hometown of Rathkeale, County Limerick.
On November 26, James Forde (50s) of Shannamore Park in Limerick was killed when he was struck by a car on the Ennis Road.
Earlier in the year, two Salesian Agricultural College students, 20-year-old Darragh Dulea (of Clonakilty, County Cork) and Cillian Kirwan (19) from Piltown in County Kilkenny), were killed after the car they were travelling in struck a wall on the N69 in County Limerick in February.
Superintendent Liam Geraghty, of the Garda Press Officer, told reporters in Limerick that despite repeated warnings, motorists are continuing to speed on Irish roads, many driving under the influence of alcohol and narcotics or using mobile phones while driving.
Superintendent Geraghty said that over 13,000 drivers were detected for speeding offences between November 29, 2024, and this past Monday (January 6), with one driver in Castleconnell found speeding at 150km/h in a 80km/h zone.
“These speeds are life-threatening, not just to the drivers and passengers of these vehicles, but to other road users, particularly in our lower speed zones,” Superintendent Geraghty told reporters on the R445 between Limerick City and Bunratty in County Clare.
“It is disrespectful and dangerous for drivers to be carrying out speeds of those levels on our roads, despite all the warnings and public safety messaging that is taking place.”
A total of 939 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant during the five-and-half-week Garda road safety campaign that ran through November 29 to January 6.
Superintendent Geraghty said it was a concern that drug-related driving had increased “and accounts for about one-in-three or one third of those arrests”.
Superintendent Geraghty warned motorists to slow down and not make unnecessary journeys as temperatures were forecasted to drop to -8 degrees this week.
“A reduction of 5km/h in our average speeds will reduce fatal road traffic collision by 30 per cent, we can make a change in our behaviour on our roads,” explained Supt Geraghty.
The superintendent said that “we’ve seen extremely adverse road conditions right across the southwest of the country, particularly in Kerry, Cork, West Limerick, west and south Tipperary into Kilkenny, it’s very obvious in these areas that there is poor and adverse road conditions,” he warned.
“Don’t be complacent on the roads … even though you may not see snow on the ground, the extreme cold weather is going to make driving conditions extremely hazardous right across the country, with severe risk for black ice, and freezing fog.”
Gardaí said they seized 2,636 vehicles (or 70 vehicles per day) during the Christmas crackdown campaign from road traffic offences, the majority of which were for drivers having no insurance and learner drivers driving unaccompanied
In addition, Gardaí said they issued 1,311 fixed charge notices to motorists for using a mobile phone while driving.
