by Katie Shadlow 

As the number of road fatalities in 2024 goes up, the speed limit goes down, but will this be enough to keep people safe on our roads? 

As of September, according to An Garda Síochána, Irelands national police and security service, the amount of road deaths recorded has been a total of 132. 

Of the 132 deaths, 52 of these deaths have been drivers, 29 have been passengers, 17 have been motorcyclists, 22 have been pedestrians, eight have been pedal cyclists, and three have been e-scooter drivers. 

The number of road deaths this year has yet to surpass last year’s number of road deaths, which came to 184, but as we look at previous year’s numbers and the already rapid growth of road deaths this year, we can see that these statistics show no sign of slowing down or decreasing. 

Between 2022 and 2023, there was a 19% rise in road deaths and fatal road accidents, with the rise in road deaths between 2021 and 2022 also being 19%. 

Looking at these statistics, we can only hope that the same pattern does not follow in 2024. 

The hope for safer roads for Irish people was not lost when significant decreases in road deaths were recorded over the last 2 decades, seeing a 55% road death drop from 1997 where 472 people lost their lives on Irish roads, versus in 2010 when this figure dropped to 212. 

Source: Leitrim Observer 

As quickly as the number of road deaths decreased, the rise started again.  

From 2018 on, when recorded road deaths were at the lowest since 1945 at only 138 deaths, the numbers slowly started increasing until 2020, when we see a low of 130 road deaths and fatal collisions.  

The Covid-19 lockdown is likely to play a big role in the decrease in road deaths for 2020. 

Since then, the number has yet again been increasing, and precautions have been put in place as of 2024 to combat these rising numbers, but will they be enough?  

A reduction in Ireland’s national speed limit will begin to take effect in November of 2024. 

Mary Bolger from Blessington in County Wicklow was involved in a road accident when a drunk driver hit her vehicle in a head on collision just outside the town in 2004..  She questions whether the new lower limit will make a difference.”The problem is the people – if they didn’t mind the speed limit before they won’t mind it now,” she said. 

Blessington seen a reduction in its speed limits both in and surrounding the town as far back as May. 

Source: Irish Times. Photograph: Keith Arkins 

“I know in my case anyway it wasn’t the speed that was the problem – drink driving has become second nature to far too many people from small towns – rural parts,” Mary explained 

Junior Minister at the Department of Transport James Lawless has said it is the ‘intention’ from November the limit on local roads will fall to 60kph from 80kph. 

Further limit drops will follow in the new year and are expected to include a fall on national secondary roads from 100kmh to 80km/h and from 50km/h to 30km/h in built-up areas. 

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction though, so I suppose we can only wait and see how much good it does us,” Mary added. 

Most road accidents have been recorded in Tipperary and Dublin so far in 2024. Drivers can only hope to see a change in this with the introduction of lower speed limits.