The death toll on Ireland's roads should give everyone pause for thought

As of September 3, 2025, a total of 143 people have lost their lives on the roads across the island.

In the north, 31 have people have died as a result of collisions.

In the south, the total number of fatalities on the roads so far this year stands at 112.

This includes drivers, passengers, cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and e-scooter drivers or passengers.

It’s important to state that circumstances differ in each incident, and not all involve human error. Sometimes circumstances are just beyond anyone’s control. But in all instances, road tragedies leave families, friend groups, often entire communities in a state of shock and devastation. It is the knock on the door everyone dreads.

No-one sets out thinking that journey will be their last.

No-one gets behind a wheel thinking this particular trip will permanently alter their life and the lives of other, but sometimes that happens.

Where there is human error there are lessons we can all take from it.

The PSNI this week issued advice on how to help avoid the ‘fatal five’ on our roads. These include never drinking or taking drugs and driving; slowing down; not being careless; always wearing seatbelst, and never using your mobile phone while driving. Memorising that list and recalling it every time you get behind a wheel could save lives.

Over the years there have been a series of extremely hard-hitting TV and newspaper advertisements showing in graphic detail the devastating impact serious road collisions can have.

Those ads were extremely shocking but effective. So much so that they are now being seen worldwide through reactors on YouTube and other online platforms.

With the internet and online media today, replicating such hard-hitting advertisements could reach millions more people. And if that saves lives then that strategy is well worth revisiting.