The official speed limit on most rural local roads will reduce from 80km/h to 60 km/h on February 7th. The Road Safety Authority says the change will make Ireland’s roads safer for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.

The move is part of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 which seeks to improve road safety in Ireland and focuses on achieving Vision Zero, zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050. 

After many successful years bringing road deaths down, there has been an increase in fatalities and serious injuries more recently. In the period between 2006 and 2021, there was a strong downwards trend in the number of fatalities on our roads, falling from 365 fatalities in 2006 to 132 in 2021. This was followed by two successive years of increase where fatalities rose from 132 in 2021 to 180 in 2023 (+36%). While initial reports for 2024 show a small decline in fatalities compared to 2023, the recent trend has raised concerns about reaching Government Road Safety targets.

To further reduce fatalities a series of speed limit changes are being phased in, the first being on February 7th when default speed limits on rural local roads will decrease from 80km/h to 60km/h. Later in 2025, the speed limit in urban areas including housing estates and town centres, will reduce to 30km/h. The speed limit on national secondary roads will also reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h.

Ireland's Government Road Safety Strategy follows the Safe System approach to road safety management, which is recognised as international best practice and key to reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries. The aim is to reduce speeds to safe, appropriate levels for the roads being used, and the people using them. 

Most unprotected road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, only survive collisions when vehicles are travelling at 30 km/h or less. A modern car can protect occupants up to 50 km/h in a side collision and a safe car can protect occupants up to 70 km/h in a head on collision. The risk of being killed or seriously injured is much higher for collisions at higher speeds.

In Ireland almost three in four road deaths (73%) in 2020-2024 occurred on a rural road with a speed limit of 80km/h or greater. Almost half (47%) of all serious injuries occurred on these roads.