They urge to talk about road safety after 68 deaths in 2024

A total of 68 people will lose their lives on Northern Ireland’s roads in 2024.

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd has urged the public to spread the message about road safety and to “talk about road safety with family and friends to help save lives”.

In 2023, a total of 71 people lost their lives on Northern Ireland’s roads. highest annual death toll in eight years.

Figures from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) show that there were 738 people seriously injured on the roads between January 1 and September 30, 2024.

Injury figures for the last three months of the year have not yet been published.

“We must all become aware”

Mr O’Dowd expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those who died and those who were injured.

“In the north, the death rate on our roads is, on average, one per week,” he added.

“That means that every week, at least one person (a mom, a dad, a son, a daughter, a friend) doesn’t come home.

“Lives are shattered and will never be the same.”

A total of eight pedestrians, 38 vehicle drivers, 12 passengers and seven motorcyclists were among those killed in traffic collisions in 2024.

Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is responsible for the policies and legislation governing road use in Northern Ireland.

It has said it is “actively committed to improving road safety in partnership with the PSNI, Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Service and other agencies”.

O’Dowd said traffic collisions are “not inevitable” and called on “everyone to think about their behavior when using the roads” in 2025.

“Making a decision that could save lives is being more aware of others and proceeding carefully, following the rules of the road – they are there to protect us and help everyone get home safely,” he said.

“As we begin a new year, the hard truth is that we all need to be more cautious when using our roads, because if we don’t, the number of deaths will continue to rise.”

‘More than a statistic’

PSNI Superintendent Sam Donaldson said it was important to remember the people behind the figure.

“These figures are more than a statistic: they are people who left their homes and never returned and people whose families and friends have been involved in traumatic, life-changing experiences,” he added.

“As well as the deaths, many people have suffered serious and life-changing injuries, proving that as a society, road safety is something that needs to be taken more seriously.”

Ch Supt Donaldson urged motorists to remember the Fatal Five:

1. Don’t drink or take drugs and drive.

4. Always use your seat belt

5. Never use your mobile phone while driving.