Road fatalities rise faster than anywhere else in western Europe

ROAD fatalities in Ireland are rising at a faster rate than anywhere else in western Europe at a time when many other EU states are recording a decline in road traffic deaths.

EU statistics show Ireland has bucked a European-wide trend by having the highest increase in road fatalities in 2004.

Road deaths are up by 12% over the first nine months of 2004 with 282 people killed in accidents compared to just 251 over the same period last year. There is an overall decline of almost 10% in road fatalities across western Europe as well as a 5.5% fall in accidents resulting in injury.