Dozens of road collision fatalities tested positive for drugs in their systems, RSA data reveals

The information provided by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) confirmed that of 340 driver fatalities between 2016 and 2020, a toxicology report was available in 316 cases. Some 35% of these (112) tested positive for alcohol. Picture: iStock

Some 35% of drivers who died tested positive for alcohol, while 14% had cocaine in their systems, figures show.

Stark figures provided to Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central, Pádraig O’Sullivan, show that dozens of people who died in road collisions had different drugs in their system, including benzodiazepines, cannabis, and opioids.

Further data provided to Mr O’Sullivan also confirmed that up to May 31, some 1,568 people had been arrested for drug-driving so far this year.

The information provided by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) confirmed that of 340 driver fatalities between 2016 and 2020, a toxicology report was available in 316 cases. Some 35% of these (112) tested positive for alcohol.

Another 14% of drivers (45) tested positive for cocaine, while 12% (37) had at least one benzodiazepine in their system.

Some 8% (26) had a positive toxicology report for cannabis, 6% (20) tested positive for at least one opioid, and another 6% (18) had a positive toxicology report for at least one z-drug. A z-drug is a non-benzodiazepine prescription that can be used to treat insomnia.

The RSA told Mr O’Sullivan that a “positive toxicology report for a drug does not imply impairment”.

“Driver fatalities may have had a positive toxicology report for more than one category, and more than one drug within one category,” they added.

The RSA explained that the Health Research Board (HRB) collects road traffic fatalities data annually from coronial files once the files have closed.

It added: “To allow time for inquests to be completed (which may be influenced by prosecutions), there is a lag in the time between year of death and year of data collection (typically up to two years).”

The figures provided to Mr O’Sullivan by Mr O’Callaghan confirmed that by the end of May, some 1,568 people had been arrested by gardaí for driving under the influence of drugs.

In the entirety of 2025, there were 3,084. This was up 10% on the 2024 figures, when 2,800 people were stopped.

'Intoxicating' substance in system

Mr O’Sullivan told the Irish Examiner that the fact that driving under the influence of drugs was unacceptable needed to be reinforced.

“It’s very concerning to see the data from the RSA that such a high proportion of people who have died in fatal collisions seemed to have had an intoxicating substance in their system,” he said.

“Awareness needs to be constantly raised that it’s never safe to drink- or drug-drive.”

Elsewhere, the RSA said it obtained driver records for 340 of 411 drivers who died on Irish roads between 2016 and 2022.

It found that 313 of these had a penalty against their driver’s licence before the fatal collision.

Of these, 26% (80) were exceeding a safe limit. Some 70% of these 80 fatal collisions occurred on a rural road.

As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, the RSA figures also confirmed that around a quarter of all fatal collisions on Irish roads over the last two and a half years involved at least one young male driver under 26.

Garda statistics show that as of June 19, some 81 people have lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year — seven more than the same period last year.