Gardaí and RSA urge road users to stay alert this bank holiday weekend

- Between 2021 and 2025, 178 pedestrians were killed, and 1,658 pedestrians were seriously injured

- A quarter (25%) of these pedestrian fatalities were persons aged 75 or older; two-thirds (68%) were male.

As the October bank holiday weekend approaches, An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority are appealing to all road users to stay safe.

Bank holiday weekends are among the busiest periods on Irish roads. They are also among the periods where road users are at the highest risk of being involved in a fatal or serious road traffic collision.

To date this year, 151 people have lost their lives in road traffic collisions on Irish roads.

Of the road fatalities so far this year, 29 were pedestrians.

As the clocks go back an hour this Sunday, meaning less daylight hours, An Garda Síochána reminds all road users to ensure they are visible. Drivers are encouraged to use dipped headlights during the day, particularly if their vehicle does not have daytime running lights.

Pedestrians and cyclists should wear high-visibility clothing and ensure they are clearly visible in darker conditions. Statistics show a consistent rise in pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries on Irish roads from October to December each year.

Research conducted by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) from the period 2021 to 2025 shows that an average of 36 pedestrians are killed every year, and an average of 332 pedestrians are seriously injured each year.

The highest number of pedestrian fatalities was among those aged 75 years or older; a quarter (25%) of the fatalities were in this age group. In contrast, seriously injured pedestrians tended to be younger with a third (33%) of pedestrian serious injuries aged 25 years or younger.

Two-thirds (68%) of all pedestrians killed were male, while just over half (55%) of seriously injured pedestrians were male.

Both fatalities and serious injuries to pedestrians increased consistently from autumn to winter. Between October and December, 38% of pedestrians were killed and 33% of pedestrians were seriously injured.

Dublin and Cork saw the largest number of pedestrian casualties, according to the research. Half (51%) of serious injuries to pedestrians, and three in ten (29%) pedestrian fatalities occurred in these counties.

One in five (22%) pedestrians killed, and one in seven (15%) pedestrians seriously injured, were recorded as crossing the road at the time of the collision.

Provisional data available to An Garda Síochána for 2026 supports the longer-term analysis by the Road Safety Authority.

Fatal and serious-injury collisions involving pedestrians tend to occur primarily in urban areas.

29 pedestrians have been killed on Irish roads to date in 2026, 19% of all fatalities. Six (21%) of the pedestrian fatalities were aged 75 or older with 10 (34%) pedestrian fatalities aged under 25.

Between January and August 2026, there has been an increase in detections of all four lifesaver offences, compared to the same time last year.

• 55% increase in the number of speed detections

• 17% increase in people detected using mobiles phones while driving

• 9% increase in the number of people detected driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

• 3% increase in people detected not wearing seatbelts

An Garda Síochána is conducting a dedicated road traffic enforcement operation throughout the October bank holiday weekend which will commence on Thursday, 22nd October and continue until Tuesday, 27th October 2026.

An Garda Síochána is urging road users to be mindful of and take extra care around vulnerable road users, in particular pedestrians.

Cyclists and pedestrians should stay visible and always observe their surroundings.

Assistant Commissioner for Roads Policing and Community Engagement, Denis Ferry, said: "As the long evenings draw in, we’re asking all road users to be mindful of each other over the October bank holiday weekend. This is a busy time of the year with the start of the school mid-term break, when many people attend Halloween-themed events.

"Motorists need to be aware of those walking on our streets and roads, and pedestrians should make sure they’re visible, especially as daylight time decreases. As the seasonal weather changes, we remind motorists to slow down and to always choose a speed that is appropriate for the driving conditions. We urge motorists to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to wear your seatbelt and put away any distractions while driving such as mobile phones.”

Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety, Seán Canney TD, said: ""As darker winter nights approach I am asking all road users to prioritise safety while making their journeys. In particular, I urge all drivers to be vigilant of vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and I urge them to take every precaution while driving to safeguard the lives of others.

"Tragically between 2021 and 2025 RSA figures indicate that 178 pedestrians have lost their lives on our roads with approximately 1,700 seriously injured. This weekend and throughout the darker winter months I urge all road users to prioritise arriving safely and to take all necessary precautions while using the roads. This means ensuring that your vehicle is well lit up, that you wear high visibility clothing while out walking or cycling, that you slow down and drive at a safe speed taking account of road and weather conditions. It also means that under no circumstances should we drive while distracted or under the influence of an intoxicant.

"This weekend may bring difficult weather conditions, please take this into account while planning your journey and to pay close attention to any warnings or advisories issued by our emergency services, the RSA and local authorities."

Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the Road Safety Authority, said: "Unfortunately, we invariably see an increase in serious injuries among pedestrians in the autumn and winter. With the clock going back one hour this Sunday, the RSA is advising drivers to slow down and look out for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, particularly when travelling during the darker mornings and evenings.”