Road death rate hike worst in Europe

IRELAND is bucking European trends in terms of falling road fatalities, while the North’s road deaths toll fell to its lowest figure in 50 years.

A total of 136 people died on the North’s roads last year, the lowest figure there since 1952, while a total of 399 people died on our roads last year, the highest figure since 2001.

Five people have died on the country’s roads so far this year, while figures released by the Garda Traffic Bureau yesterday showed that almost 1,300 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving in the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day - a 14% increase on the same period in 2004.