The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has raised concerns about an increase in dangerous driving behaviours on Irish roads, calling for enhanced enforcement measures and legislative changes to improve road safety.
The association reports that since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable uptick in reckless driving, including speeding, impaired driving, and mobile phone use behind the wheel.
Recent statistics support that. Between November 29th and January 6th, Gardaí detected 13,573 instances of speeding across Ireland.
During this period, 17 people lost their lives in road incidents, contributing to a total of 174 road fatalities in 2024—a 4% decrease from the previous year. Notably, 60 of these fatalities (35%) were individuals aged 25 years or younger.
In 2025, the trend remains troubling. As of February 2nd, 15 people have died on Irish roads, averaging one fatality every two days. This figure, while slightly lower than the 18 deaths recorded during the same period in 2024, underscores the persistent challenges in ensuring road safety.
The IRHA stresses the need for increased Garda presence on roads to deter and address dangerous driving behaviours. However, Garda resources have been stretched thin. Over the past 16 years, there has been a 40% decline in personnel within the Garda Road Policing Units (RPUs), with Cork experiencing the most significant reduction—from 119 personnel in 2009 to 69 in 2024.
Dublin also saw a decrease from 291 personnel across its seven divisions in 2009 to 166 by October 2024.
The IRHA is also advocating for the mandatory installation of black boxes in vehicles driven by 'N plate' motorists—those who have recently passed their driving tests and are in their novice period.
lack boxes, or telematics devices, monitor driving behaviours such as speed, acceleration, and braking patterns, providing data that can encourage safer driving habits among inexperienced drivers.
