Northern Ireland: 29 Road Deaths in 2026 Prompt Joint Safety Appeal
Following a «catastrophic» weekend with five fatalities, Northern Ireland's road death toll for 2026 has reached 29, double the 2025 figure. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins and PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones issued a joint appeal for safer driving, urging responsibility and caution ahead of the bank holiday weekend.
Politicians and police in Northern Ireland have issued a joint call for safer driving after a «catastrophic» weekend saw five fatalities, bringing the 2026 road death toll to 29. This figure is double the 14 deaths recorded for the same period in 2025.
Minister for Infrastructure Liz Kimmins and PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones made the appeal ahead of the bank holiday weekend. Ms. Kimmins highlighted that 29 lives have been lost in just four months, averaging one death every four days. She urged drivers to control speed, avoid phones, never drink or drug drive, prevent distractions, and always wear seatbelts.
Ms. Jones described the past weekend as catastrophic, with five deaths in 24 hours across four collisions. She emphasized that these incidents are preventable and called for a change in societal attitudes towards road safety. Police will increase their visible presence this weekend, focusing on the «fatal five»: drink/drug driving, speeding, mobile phone use, not wearing seatbelts, and inattention.