Two men in their 20s have died in separate road crashes in counties Limerick and Tipperary.
The latest fatalities bring the number of people killed on the State’s roads so far this year to 181.
Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to a single-vehicle collision on the N24 at Cordangan Cross, near Tipperary town, at about 9.45pm on Wednesday.
The male driver (20s), the sole occupant of the car, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body was removed to University Hospital Waterford where a postmortem was due to take place.
The road remained closed on Thursday morning to allow for a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators, with local diversions in place.
An Garda Síochána appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the crash to come forward. Any road users who were travelling around Tipperary town and the Bansha Road area between 9pm and 10pm on Wednesday are asked to contact gardaí, especially anyone who has camera or dashcam footage.
“In particular, gardaí are interested in potential sightings of a 2005-registered grey Toyota Yaris during this period,” a Garda statement said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Tipperary Garda station on 062 80670, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Meanwhile, a man (21) has died and four others have been injured following a crash at Templeglantine, Co Limerick, in the early hours of Thursday.
The two-car collision occurred on the N21 at Ballymurragh West just before 1am.
The 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Limerick where a postmortem will take place.
Three teenagers – two female juveniles and an adult male – were brought to University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Kerry to be treated for serious injuries.
A man in his 20s was brought to University Hospital Kerry with non-life-threatening injuries.
The road is closed pending a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators and local diversions are in place.
Anyone who witnessed the collision, or with relevant camera footage from the N21 between Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West between midnight and 1am, is asked to contact Newcastle West Garda Station on 069 206 50, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
The latest fatalities mean the number of people killed on the State’s roads so far this year is up 10 per cent on the same period last year.
There were 174 road deaths last year, including 72 drivers, 17 motorcyclists, 35 passengers, 33 pedestrians, 12 cyclists and three e-scooter drivers or passengers.