:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YXWJSRTFJPQVKQ36V4UFKSN2V4.jpg)
Fifty-four people died on the North's roads in 2019, according to provisional figures released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
It is the second lowest number of road fatalities in Northern Ireland since records began in 1931.
The figure has been falling each year since 2014, when 79 people died. Fifty-five people were killed in 2018.
Almost half - 26 - of those who died in road incidents in 2019 were drivers. Fifteen pedestrians were killed, as well as eight passengers in cars, three motorcyclists, and two cyclists.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2KTIWPNC3D24TOSBNQECPJQWNM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6UXGBWNKWVWUQSBWR4M4OFAEJU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/P3JRO5FO4QAFYUYVZKCOS3BOKY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KEYNMYKVMDMRERXGWV5BPXPCTQ.jpg)
A total of 639 people were recorded as seriously injured as of October 31st 2019, an increase from 604 on the same date the previous year. A final total of those injured will not be confirmed by the PSNI until spring 2020.
Just over 200 people were killed in crashe on the island of Ireland in 2019. Provisional figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in the Republic of Ireland showed that 148 people died on the State's roads in 2019.
In Northern Ireland, a 19-year-old man died in Co Derry on New Year's Day after the car he was driving collided with another car between Maghera and Swatragh in the early hours of the morning.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said that despite the historical downward trend, “far too many people” are killed on Northern Ireland’s roads every year.
“The simple reality is that many collisions can be avoided,” he said.
“Not paying full attention, poor positioning on the road, excess speed for the conditions and people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs remain the most common causes of the most serious collisions which kill and injure people.”
He said road safety would remain a “key priority” for police officers. “We are on duty across the country looking for road users taking dangerous and unnecessary risks, but we all share the responsibility for road safety.
“So if you are driving, slow down; pay greater attention to your surroundings and look out for other road users; leave the mobile phone alone; always wear a seatbelt and never ever drink or take drugs and drive.
“If you are a pedestrian, whether using a footpath, walking along a country road or simply crossing the road, please always be aware of your surroundings.
“And if you are a cyclist or motorcyclist, please ensure you put your safety first.
“As we start a new year, please resolve to have a greater focus on road safety, so we can prevent collisions and save lives,” he said.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/7d1a94a7-9f0b-4903-a37b-f1a5925c234c.png)