Four road deaths over the weekend, including that of a toddler, are prompting fresh concern about rising fatality rates on both sides of the Border.
The latest victims died at the weekend in incidents in counties Sligo, Dublin and Derry.
In Sligo, Eóin Kelly (20) from Dromahair, Co Leitrim, and Declan McCormack (22), from Riverstown, Co Sligo, died when the car they were travelling in left the road and struck a tree shortly before midnight on Saturday. The crash happened on the R284, a minor road at Sooey on the Ballyfarnan to Sligo road about 8km from Riverstown. No other vehicle was involved.
The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third man, a rear-seat passenger, was taken to Sligo General Hospital. The 21-year-old is said to be in a stable condition.
Earlier a 21-month-old girl died after she was struck by a vehicle in Tallaght, Co Dublin. She was hit by a car on Ardmore Walk at about 5.30pm on Saturday, but has not yet been named.
Gardaí are investigating the scenes of both incidents and have appealed for information to be given to any Garda station or on the confidential telephone line at 1800 666111.
In Co Derry, a 17-year-old died after the silver coloured car he was driving was in collision with a tractor in Limavady. The incident happened near a junction of the Drumsurn and Cloghan roads at about 10.20am on Saturday.
He was Keelan Mullan from Drumsurn, and the PSNI have appealed for information about the movements of either of the vehicles involved in the crash.
The deaths of the four bring the road fatalities in the Republic and North to totals ahead of the record low rates achieved last year.
Last year, 48 people died on the roads in the North, the lowest figure recorded since record-keeping began in 1931. Nine had died since January 1st. In the Republic the rise is more pronounced. Some 37 people have died on the roads so far this year. This is well ahead of the 23 who lost their lives by the same date last year.
A record low was also achieved in the Republic last year. By year-end 162 people died on the roads.The Road Safety Authority has expressed concern at the latest deaths. However, it said itwas still too early in the year to detect a statistical trend.