Renewed warnings from An Garda Síochána and the RSA ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend
One in three people killed or seriously injured on Irish roads so far this year have been under the age of 30, prompting renewed warnings from An Garda Síochána and the RSA ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
A nationwide Garda Roads Policing Operation began at 7 am this Thursday morning, April 17, and will run until 7 am on Tuesday, April 22. All on-duty Gardaí will be involved in road traffic enforcement activity throughout the weekend, targeting speeding, intoxicated driving, mobile phone use and other high-risk behaviours.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said the data shows a worrying trend among younger road users.
“What our most recent analysis demonstrates is that there is still some way to go in younger drivers paying heed to our pleas to follow the road traffic laws,” she said.
So far in 2025, 48 lives have been lost on Irish roads. Of those killed or seriously injured, one-third were under the age of 30. Half of all fatalities have been drivers, and two-thirds of fatal collisions involved only a single vehicle.
Young passengers and pedestrians are also at risk, with those aged 20 or younger consistently representing the largest group of fatally or seriously injured road users in the first quarter of each of the past six years.
Chief Superintendent Humphries emphasised that Garda road operations are not about catching people out or issuing fines.
“No Garda has ever or will ever take satisfaction in responding to a horrific road traffic collision that has caused serious injuries or death. Being tasked to call to a home to deliver the worst possible news to a devastated family is something that no Garda ever wishes to do. Our work is aimed at avoiding all of those awful circumstances.”
Gardaí have also noted a spike in collisions occurring at weekends, with Fridays now seeing double the five-year average number of road traffic incidents.
The RSA are also advising drivers to be extra cautious and look out for more vulnerable road users.
Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, said:
“We are urging motorists to slow down and look out for all road users over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. There will be more traffic than usual on the roads, including an increased number of cyclists and pedestrian.”
Authorities are asking people planning to socialise this weekend to leave their cars at home if drinking, and to organise alternative transport such as taxis, lifts from designated drivers, or public transport. They also reminded the public that walking or cycling under the influence can be equally dangerous.