Emergency Doctors Urge Government Action as 190 Road Deaths Recorded in 2023

Emergency medicine doctors are urging the Irish Government to take immediate action to address the rising number of road deaths. In 2023, 190 people died in road incidents, the highest figure in over a decade. So far this year, 52 road deaths have occurred, maintaining a similar rate to last year.

The Irish Association of Emergency Medicine (IAEM) stated that the national target of no more than 72 annual road deaths by 2030 is significantly off course. Road deaths in Ireland have increased by 31 percent since 2019, while the EU average decreased by 12 percent. Nearly half of those killed in 2023 were vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists), with cyclist deaths highest since 2017 and motorcyclist deaths highest since 2007.

The IAEM, witnessing the impact of these incidents firsthand, endorsed five key demands from the Stop Road Deaths campaign. These include appointing a statutory road safety commissioner with authority and budget to meet the 2030 target, deploying automated speed cameras on high-risk routes within 12 months, and mandatory redesign of the 50 highest-risk road sections. They also called for restoring Garda road policing numbers to 2014 levels and requiring parliamentary accountability for these reforms.

The association emphasized that the Government's adopted Safe System Approach, which aims for no deaths or serious injuries on roads, is meaningless without institutional mechanisms. They urged the Government to adopt the political will seen in Scandinavian countries to make Ireland's roads safe. While the Government has introduced some measures, including speed limit reductions, and plans to reform the Road Safety Authority, the IAEM stresses the need for more comprehensive action.