Road safety: Drivers urged to 'make the right choices' this Easter weekend

Eva Osborne

Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) are urging all road users to support their efforts to keep them and all others on the roads safe this Easter weekend.

A Garda Road Safety Campaign will be in place for the bank holiday weekend. It got underway at 7am on Thursday morning and will run until 7am on Tuesday, April 7th.

Gardaí said they will be placing a particular emphasis on detecting those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs this weekend.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Sean Canney, appealed to drivers to "make the right choices" this weekend.

"As we head into the Easter weekend, my message is a simple one: nothing is more important on our roads than behaving responsibly to safeguard the lives of others," he said.

"As drivers we must be mindful that we share the road with pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of pedestrians tragically killed on our roads and I appeal to all road users but, in particular drivers, to behave responsibly and to make the right choices this Easter weekend.

"This means – not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, putting mobile phones and other distractions away and not speeding. By choosing to behave responsibly we are protecting our children, our families, our friends who all share our roads."

2025 saw an increase of 24 per cent in pedestrian road deaths compared to the previous year, with year-to-date figures currently in line with last year.

In 2025, the majority of the 41 pedestrian fatalities occurred on lower speed roads (60km/h or less). Over a third of pedestrians were crossing the road at the time of the fatal collision.

1-in-4 of the pedestrians killed were older people, while young people under the age of 25 accounted for 30 per cent of seriously injured pedestrians in 2025.

Close to half of pedestrians were killed between 4pm and midnight, while a quarter of pedestrians were seriously injured between 4pm and 7pm.

Chief Superintendent David Harrington of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said the issues on Irish roads at present "require the attention of every single person".

"Every driver is responsible for their own driving behaviour – there is no excuse whatsoever to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Keep your attention on the road - there is no valid reason to drive while distracted by your phone.

"We are seeing an increase in pedestrian deaths on our roads and we want to ensure all road users are kept safe. Pedestrians and motorists should be visible and alert to their surroundings.

"Eliminate distractions and make responsible decisions to ensure everyone gets home safe this weekend.”