Annual road death toll grows by 43

THE National Safety Council is disappointed its grim prediction that more people would be killed on the roads in 2004 than in 2003 has come true.

In 2004, 379 people were killed in road traffic accidents, compared with 336 in 2003 - an increase of 43 deaths despite the introduction of a wide ranging penalty points system.

And just days into the New Year three more people have been killed, one in Kildare and two in Leitrim.