Counties Affected
Updated 28 September 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
One person lost their life on Irish roads during the four-day period from 25 to 28 August 2026. A single incident in County Galway serves as a sobering reminder of the risks present on every journey — including those that may seem routine or low-speed.
Incident Summary
Friday, 28 August 2026 — Salthill, Galway City
A man in his 40s died following a single-vehicle e-scooter crash on a local road outside the former Spinnaker House Hotel in Salthill. He was brought to University Hospital Galway with serious injuries but sadly did not survive. Our sympathies are with his family, friends, and all those affected by this tragedy.
This incident is a stark reminder that e-scooters, while increasingly common on Irish roads and footpaths, carry real and serious risks. Single-vehicle collisions — where no other road user is involved — account for a significant proportion of e-scooter fatalities, underscoring that the risks often lie in the journey itself rather than in interaction with other traffic.
Year-to-Date Context
Based on our own tally compiled from news reports, approximately 120 people have died on Irish roads so far in 2026. At the same point last year, the official Road Safety Authority figure stood at 107.
This represents an approximate increase of around 12% compared to last year’s figure at this stage. It is important to note that our running total is drawn from media reports and typically runs slightly ahead of the official RSA count, so a direct comparison is not straightforward. Nonetheless, the broad trend is one that warrants attention and continued vigilance from all road users, authorities, and policymakers alike.
E-Scooter Safety: An Emerging Concern
The death in Salthill highlights the particular vulnerabilities associated with e-scooter use. Since their legalisation on Irish roads, e-scooters have grown rapidly in popularity as a convenient mode of short-distance travel — but their safety profile deserves serious consideration.
The Road Safety Authority has previously urged e-scooter users to:
- Always wear a helmet, even on short journeys
- Stay within the legal speed limit for e-scooters (currently 20 km/h on public roads)
- Avoid uneven or damaged road surfaces, which can cause sudden loss of control
- Never use an e-scooter under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Ensure the device is in good working condition before every journey
E-scooters offer no protective shell, no crumple zone, and little physical buffer between the rider and the ground. Even a fall at low speed can have devastating consequences, particularly if the rider’s head makes contact with the road surface.
Looking Ahead
Every fatality on our roads is a life cut short and a loss felt deeply by families and communities. As we move toward the final months of summer — a period that traditionally sees higher levels of road activity — it is vital that all of us, whether on foot, on wheels, or behind the wheel of a vehicle, take personal responsibility for our safety and the safety of those around us.
If you are an e-scooter user, please take a moment before your next journey to ask whether you are properly equipped and whether the route ahead is safe. A helmet, a moment of care, and a reduced speed could make all the difference.
Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of the man who died in Salthill.
Fatality figures for 2026 represent roaddeaths.ie’s own tally compiled from published news reports and may differ slightly from official RSA statistics, which are published separately. Year-on-year comparisons should be treated as approximate.
Report card description: One person died on Irish roads between 25 and 28 August 2026, following an e-scooter crash in Salthill, Galway. With approximately 120 fatalities recorded so far this year — roughly 12% above the same point in 2025 — the incident is a timely reminder of the serious risks facing e-scooter users on Irish roads.