Cork had the second-highest number of road fatalities last year
15:39, 01 Jan 2026Updated 15:47, 01 Jan 2026
It’s been a tragic year along our roads here in Ireland, with a total of 190 people losing their lives in road traffic fatalities nationwide – and Cork was one of the deadliest counties by far, according to a new Road Safety Authority report. Provisional figures released by the RSA show that 21 people lost their lives in Cork as a result of road traffic incidents, just one behind Dublin, which was the deadliest county in Ireland last year.
The statistics paint a grim picture as Cork has less than half the population of Dublin, and it was one of only two counties to have more than twenty fatalities. The county with the third highest number of fatalities is Galway at 17, and the lowest is Longford, which is the only county that didn’t record a single road death last year.
The report examines 185 of the 190 deaths that occurred last year, with the final five cases falling outside the RSA’s remit as they occurred in car parks and other non-public roads. Such cases are recorded in Garda statistics but are not included in official RSA figures in line with historic trends and EU convention.
The figures represent an overall increase of 8% with one person now being killed on our roads roughly every second day. The highest share of road deaths was among drivers (41%), followed by pedestrians (22%) and motorcyclists (16%). Deaths among drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists were highest in 2025 compared to the previous 5 years.
Just over one in five deaths (21%) were among people aged 16-25, making them the highest risk age group in 2025. However, deaths have declined in this age group compared to the previous two years. High numbers of deaths were also recorded among those aged 46-55 and 56-65.
More than half of all fatalities occurred between Friday and Sunday, with crashes between 12 and 8 pm accounting for more than 50% of all deaths. Over half of all fatalities occurred on high-speed roads with a speed limit of 80km/h and above. There were also increases in deaths on roads with speed limits of 50km/h and 60km/h compared to 2024.
Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety, Seán Canney, described 2025 as a ‘very difficult year’ on Irish roads, promising to work closely with all stakeholders to make our roads safer as we head into the new year.
Minister Canney said: “Last year was an incredibly difficult year on Irish roads. Too many families have faced heartbreak. Too many communities have been left grieving. It is a stark reminder that road safety is not just a policy area or a set of statistics – this is about people’s lives, about loved ones, about futures changed in an instant.
“My absolute priority as Minister for Road Safety is to make Irish roads safer for everyone, and I will continue to work closely with all road safety stakeholders in the New Year to achieve this.”
His comments were echoed by Chief Executive of the RSA Sam Waide, who said the organisation is deeply concerned by the increase in fatalities, particularly among the most vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists.
Assistant Commissioner Catharina Gunne, An Garda Síochána, Roads Policing and Community Engagement, said: “2025 has been a devastating year for the families of the 190 persons who died on our roads. Each of these deaths has had a profound impact on their loved ones, families, friends, colleagues and communities.
“An Garda Síochána remains committed to improving road safety and minimising the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, and will continue to do so in 2026, targeting those drivers with the most risky and dangerous driving behaviours.
“As a society, we all need to work together to bring real impact to ‘Vision Zero’ Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2030.
“We once again need to adjust attitudes to driver behaviour and make driving while under the influence of any intoxicant, inappropriate speed and driving while distracted unacceptable behaviours. As a society, we all need to call them out! By working together as communities, we can all make our roads safer in 2026.”