Counties Affected
Updated 21 August 2026: this report was regenerated with corrected figures. An earlier version overstated the year-on-year change by comparing against our own incomplete record of the previous year rather than official Road Safety Authority statistics, and included some double-counted incidents. See our methodology.
Overview
Three people lost their lives on Irish roads between Friday 25 and Monday 28 April 2026, a sobering reminder that road safety remains a critical concern as the spring and summer driving season gets underway. The incidents spanned three counties — Donegal, Dublin, and Sligo — and claimed lives across a wide range of ages and circumstances.
The Incidents
Donegal – Friday 25 April A teenage motorcyclist was fatally injured in a collision with a car on the R252 at Cloghan, Co Donegal, at around 4:30pm. The loss of a young life is always particularly devastating, and our thoughts are with the family, friends, and community mourning this tragedy.
Sligo – Friday 25 April Also on Friday, a 57-year-old woman — a care assistant and mother — died in a crash on the Ballintogher to Ballygawley road. She was returning home from work. This incident is a painful reminder that every journey, no matter how familiar, carries risk, and that road deaths leave an immeasurable void in families and in communities that depend on people like her.
Dublin – Sunday 27 April A woman in her 80s died after a car struck a wall at a car park at Knocklyon Shopping Centre in south Dublin on Sunday morning. Older road users — whether as drivers or passengers — face particular vulnerabilities, and incidents in lower-speed environments such as car parks are a reminder that care and attention are needed everywhere, not just on open roads.
Year-to-Date Context
With these three fatalities recorded, our running tally for 2026 stands at 52 deaths on Irish roads through late April. At the same point in 2025, the Road Safety Authority recorded 51 fatalities.
It is important to note that our 2026 figure is compiled from news reports and tends to run slightly ahead of the official RSA count, so direct comparisons should be treated with care. On the basis of currently available data, the picture is broadly similar to this time last year — a modest difference of approximately 2% — and should be read as such, rather than as evidence of a definitive trend in either direction. Even so, with more than 50 lives already lost in under four months, the human cost of road deaths in Ireland remains very real.
Safety Themes and Advice
The incidents this period reflect patterns that road safety advocates consistently highlight:
-
Motorcyclists remain among the most vulnerable road users, particularly on rural roads where speeds are higher and sight lines can be limited. The RSA urges all motorcyclists to ensure their protective gear is appropriate and visible, and asks drivers to allow extra space and time when sharing the road with motorcycles.
-
Rural roads featured in two of the three fatalities this period. Many of Ireland’s regional and local roads have no hard shoulders, poor lighting, and varying surface conditions. Extra caution — particularly in the late afternoon when fatigue can be a factor — is strongly advised.
-
Vigilance at all times is essential. The Sligo incident, involving a short, routine journey home from work, is a stark illustration that there is no such thing as a journey too familiar to warrant full attention and care.
The RSA’s ongoing Mind the Road and Slow Down messaging is especially relevant as traffic volumes increase over the coming bank holiday weekends and summer months. Drivers are encouraged to check the RSA website at rsa.ie for the latest guidance.
Looking Ahead
As Ireland moves into the busier driving months of May and June — with more motorcycles, cyclists, and pedestrians sharing the roads — the importance of patience, awareness, and appropriate speed cannot be overstated. Behind every statistic is a person: a teenager full of promise, a mother on her way home, an elderly woman going about her day.
Roaddeaths.ie will continue to record and report each life lost, so that those who die on our roads are not reduced to numbers. We extend our deepest sympathies to all of the families and communities affected by these losses.
If you have been affected by a road death, Anam Cara provides support to bereaved parents at anamcara.ie, and the RSA offers a range of bereavement resources at rsa.ie.
Report card description: Three people died on Irish roads between 25 and 28 April 2026, in separate incidents across Donegal, Sligo, and Dublin. The losses bring the year’s running total to around 52 — broadly in line with the same period in 2025.