A total of 149 people were killed on Irish roads in 2020, ten of them in Co Donegal.
It marks an increase of nine victims in the number of people killed on the State’s roads since last year’s records, despite significantly reduced traffic volumes due to Covid-19.
There were some positives in that there were 1,407 fewer serious and minor injury collisions recorded, a 25% decrease compared with 2019.
Donegal recorded the third highest in the country behind Cork which had 24 deaths and Dublin which had 20 deaths.
Minister of State for Transport Hildegarde Naughton said it was “a disappointing year for road safety”, but pointed to the development of a new Government Road Safety Strategy to be published, which would initiate efforts to reach zero road deaths by 2050.
Ms Naughton said the increase in deaths was “despite a reduction in traffic volumes for periods during the year due to the pandemic”.
She said “all deaths on our roads are preventable”.
Liz O’Donnell, chairwoman of the RSA said between 2013 and 2019, Ireland saw a 26% reduction in road traffic fatalities, compared with just a 6 per cent reduction across the whole of the EU 27.
“Thanks to the success of the current road safety strategy (2013 – 2020) and the compliance of road users Ireland is viewed as a leader in road safety and is ranked as second safest in the EU and fourth globally. It is important to acknowledge that many lives have been saved and the next strategy now being prepared will build on this progress.”
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