Three people die and 12 seriously injured in bank holiday road collisions, gardaí report

Throughout the weekend, more than 2,800 drivers were detected for speeding, with one travelling at 179km/h in a 60km/h zone.

Three people died on Irish roads during the Easter bank holiday period, while 12 more were seriously injured across 11 accidents, gardaí have said.

In an update on Tuesday, An Garda Síochána released details of the statistics compiled around such incidents, as well as detections for speeding, drink- and drug-driving, and other driving offences.

On Sunday evening, a teenager who was travelling on a scrambler bike died following a collision involving a car in Citywest in Dublin. He was named locally as 18-year-old father-of-one Jason Monks, with tributes being led by his mother on social media.

A motorcyclist in his 20s also died following a crash involving a car in Ardagh village in Limerick on Monday evening. Tributes were also paid to popular Shanagolden native David O'Carroll, 24, online. 

Separately, a young boy died after being struck by a car just after 6.30pm in Mullingar on Monday. It is understood he had just celebrated his fourth birthday. 

To date, 51 people have lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year, nine fewer than the same period in 2024.

Multiple other serious road crashes were reported, including four people being seriously injured in a Sligo collision, while a man in his 20s was airlifted to hospital following a crash in Longford.

In its bank holiday weekend update, gardaí said it carried out 912 checkpoints where drivers were breathalysed and checked for intoxicants.

More than 4,500 breath tests and 213 oral fluid tests were performed, which led to 149 arrests for driving under the influence.

Throughout the weekend, more than 2,800 drivers were detected for speeding.

This included one driver clocked going at 179km/h in a 60km/h zone in Granard, Co Longford. It also included drivers going at 165km/h in a 100km/h zone in Limerick, and 139km/h in an 80km/h zone in Meath.

A further 225 fixed charge notices were issued for the use of mobile phones while driving, while 160 were given to unaccompanied learner drivers. Another 73 fixed charge notices were issued for not wearing a seatbelt.

In addition, 109 vehicles were seized from learners driving unaccompanied, while 438 were seized for having no tax or insurance.

An Garda Síochána said: “[We] continue to appeal to all road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to slow down and to always choose a speed that is appropriate to the driving conditions, to wear your seatbelt and keep your eyes always on the road.” 

In its appeal prior to the bank holiday weekend, gardaí had published statistics showing the number of drivers and pedestrians killed on Irish roads in the first three months of the year was above average when compared to the last five years.

In the first quarter, one in three of those killed or seriously injured on the roads was also under the age of 30.

It added there had been an increase in road crashes happening on weekends, with almost double the five-year average number happening on Fridays this year.