The North Eastern Health Board, local authorities and the two Garda divisions in the area for the first time have issued a joint appeal on road safety during the festive season.
"People in the north-east have a statistically higher mortality as a result of road traffic accidents than people living in the rest of the country," they said in a statement.
The chief executive officer of the health board and the Garda chiefs appealed to motorists not to drink at all. They also appealed to licensed traders and hoteliers to arrange alternative transport for customers who drink.