As traffic fatalities fall nationally, Kildare is below average

In a year where road traffic fatalities fell to their lowest level nationally since they were first recorded in 1959, the rate in Kildare is lower than the national average and per head of population.

The results for 2017, published on Monday by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) following an analysis of fatal collision reports supplied by An Garda Síochána, show that nationally there has been a 15% drop in road deaths in 2017 compared to 2016.

As one of the most populated counties, with roads that carry two-thirds of all cars leaving Dublin to travel to another part of the country, it would be reasonable to assume that Kildare would have one of the highest figures in the county.

However at five, although we would all prefer to have none, it is significantly less than many counties with far smaller populations, like Mayo (12), Tipperary, Monaghan and Kerry (all 8). 

With a total of 158 for the 26 counties, the average is more than six. At a rate of one per 30,208, Kildare would be expected to have seven fatalities.

The 158 people who lost their lives died as a result of 143 fatal crashes, compared to 186 lives lost in 174 fatal crashes in 2016. This represents 28 fewer fatalities or a 15% drop in deaths and 31 fewer fatal crashes or an 18% drop in fatal crashes. 2017 was also the safest year on Ireland’s roads since road deaths were first recorded in 1959.

Previously, 2015 (with 162 deaths) was the safest year on record.