Twenty-eight children killed or seriously injured on Mayo roads between 2014 and 2022

TWENTY-EIGHT children were killed or seriously injured on Mayo’s roads between 2014 and 2022, according to a new report.

The figures were revealed in the RSA’s Child Casualties Report, which found that Mayo accounted for three percent of all children aged up to 15 killed or seriously injured on the country’s roads in that period.

Nationally, approximately two in three child casualties were pedestrians or cyclists. 

Between 2014 and 2022 there were 56 fatalities aged 0-15 years and 852 seriously injured road users nationwide, representing 4 percent of total fatalities and 8 percent of total serious injuries (see Tables 1 and 2 below). 

Of those 908 killed or seriously injured children, half (51 percent) were pedestrians, almost three in ten (28 percent) were passengers, and almost a fifth (18 percent) were cyclists.

Children are recommended to wear high-visibility material when out walking or cycling; to wear a helmet and have working bike lights when cycling. Parents should also ensure and ensuring the use of seatbelts or appropriate restraints when travelling by car or bus to keep children as safe as possible on our roads.

There have been ten fatalities on Mayo roads so far this year among people of all ages – double the number of people killed on the county’s roads in 2022.

To date in 2023, a total of 139 people have been killed on Irish roads. This is an increase of 26 fatalities compared to the same date last year. The number of children aged 0-15 years killed on Irish roads in 2023 to date is 12 compared to five in all of 2022.

Speaking on the publication of the Child Casualties Report, Sam Waide, CEO of the RSA, said: the report revealed ‘concerning trends’

“Children are among our most vulnerable road users, and they are less able to protect themselves from traffic hazards. They are at a high risk of being injured or killed on our roads,” Mr Waide said.

“We are particularly concerned because we have also noted an increase in child fatalities in 2023. That is why we must all exercise extra caution and responsibility when driving near places where children are likely to be present, such as schools, playgrounds and residential streets.

“The report shows that children cycling or walking in urban areas are at particularly high risk and it is vital that motorists slow down, observe carefully and share the roads safely with children.

“While the majority of children killed or seriously injured were on urban roads, we must also note that rural roads involve risk, in particular for children as car passengers. Reducing speed, driving without being under the influence of drink or drugs, avoiding driver distraction and using front and rear seatbelts (and child car seats/restraints where required) are vital measures for the road safety of children in Ireland.

“We cannot afford to be complacent or careless when it comes to road safety. We all have a duty to make all our roads as safe as possible for everyone, especially for our children,” Mr Waide added.