Some 127 people have died on the country’s roads so far this year, new figures revealed today.
Men accounted for the vast majority of deaths while around two-thirds of all crashes involved 17 to 25-year-olds, according to the Road Safety Authority.
More than half of the 127 collisions happened at the weekend with most in the early hours.
Noel Brett, RSA chief, said that while the death toll was down 14 on the same period last year, the numbers being killed were still high.
"Although the number of road deaths in the first half of 2009 is down 14 deaths, the months of March, April and May show a worrying trend with an average fatality rate of 26, compared with 19 for the same period in 2008, a 37 per cent increase", Mr Brett said.
"There is room for improvement."
Mr Brett urged drivers to slow down and drive with care to prevent further deaths.
Last year saw the lowest number of deaths on Irish roads in almost 50 years when 279 people were killed.
According to the RSA figures 63 drivers and 21 passengers were killed since January, representing 66 per cent of all deaths. Meanwhile, 20 pedestrians were killed accounting for 16 per cent of fatalities, while 19 motorcyclists and four cyclists also lost their lives. Eighty per cent of all deaths were men and drivers aged between 17 and 25 accounting for nearly two thirds of fatalities. More than half of all of all crashes happened at the weekend, with two-thirds of those between 8pm and 8am.
The RSA warned July was the deadliest month of the year on the country's roads.
Between 1999 and 2008, 376 people were killed over the month.
Mr Brett said the RSA will be running a major awareness campaign over the next six months promoting road safety, with advertisements on TV, radio, and at music concerts such as Oxygen and the Rose of Tralee.
The road safety chief said his staff would also be working closely with gardaí to ensure they enforce the law and stop bus and truck drivers from driving for too long.
"These laws are vital to prevent such drivers from falling asleep at the wheel and ensure their vehicles are in a road-worthy condition," Mr Brett said.
Road deaths in Ireland have dropped by almost a third since 2001, when more than 411 people died — 185 in the first six months.
PA