The Automobile Association has warned against complacency on road safety and the efficacy of the penalty points system as gardaí recorded the highest number of road deaths in one week since penalty points were introduced.
In the seven-day period to yesterday eight people were killed on the roads. Eight people were also killed in the week to 24th December, but given that this was the week before Christmas it was regarded as an exception by motoring organisations and the Garda.
Road accidents have also taken a heavy toll in the North in recent days with five men losing their lives in the last two days. In all 27 people have died on the North's roads this year, more than double the number for the same time last year.
The penalty points system, introduced in the Republic on October 31st, has been credited with reducing road fatalities. So far this year 33 people have died on the roads, compared with 47 in the same period last year.
However, Mr Conor Faughnan of the AA said the latest figures were "somewhat discouraging" but stressed it was difficult to extrapolate a definite trend "from a small seven-day window".
Complacency, however, was "a danger", he said.
"In order to maintain the success, we have argued there should be a dedicated traffic corps within the Garda."
Although the points system deterred speeding, he said, people would start speeding again if there was a sense that motorists could get away with it because of lack of enforcement.
Mr Pat Costello, chief executive of the National Safety Council, said that while he would "certainly be concerned" by an upward swing in figures, it should be stressed that overall rates were down.
Further phases of the penalty points system are to be introduced later this year. The use of seat-belts and dangerous overtaking are to be targeted first.
