Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has urged motorists to drive with care during the St Patrick's and Easter festivities as gardai launch a nationwide crackdown on speeding and drink-driving.
According to Garda statistics, 70 people have been killed on the State's roads to date this year, up 14 on the same period in 2007.
With two holiday weekends in a row and thousands of people expected to travel, Mr Ahern appealed for people to slow down.
"I would urge all those who use our roads to exercise extra caution, particularly over the coming bank holiday period when thousands of extra journeys will be made by car and road users travelling on unfamiliar roads," he said.
"Road deaths and injuries continue to exact a heavy toll on the community. "The statistics hide the harsh reality for many families of loved ones suddenly taken from them, or having to cope with major disabilities for the rest of their lives."
Extra checkpoints are being set up nationwide, with officers targeting speeding and those drinking while driving. Last year's St Patrick's holiday saw 1,990 motorists caught breaking the speed limit, with more than 2,600 over Easter.
A Garda spokesman said: "This weekend is a long weekend, with St Patrick's Day falling on Monday. The following weekend is the Easter Holiday period.
"All road users are asked to be vigilant and to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and the safety of other road users.
"Significant extra Garda resources will be deployed over these periods aimed at increasing compliance amongst drivers, with the objective of improving road safety," he said.
"Drivers are urged to slow down and remember that as a general rule a 1kph decrease in average speed results in a 2 per cent reduction in injury collisions, a 3 per cent reduction in serious injury collisions and a 4 per cent reduction in fatal collisions," the spokesman said.
Gardai said that despite the awareness surrounding the dangers of drink-driving, the culture of consuming alcohol and then getting behind the wheel still exists.
Last year 481 people were caught drink-driving over the St Patrick's holiday and 445 during Easter.