Four men were killed and six other people were injured in four road traffic accidents at the weekend. This brings to 40 the number of people killed in road accidents so far this year.
By the end of January last year, 32 people had been killed in such accidents.
Eight people have now died in road accidents in the first six days of this month. So far this year, 20 motorists have been killed, while nine passengers and five motorcyclists lost their lives.
The latest victim was a man in his 80s who was knocked down by a car at Trentaboy, Drumkeen, Co Donegal, at about 6.20 p.m. yesterday. His name was being withheld last night until all next of kin had been informed.
Gardaí at Letterkenny are investigating the accident, which happened about 5.5 kilometres outside Letterkenny on the Ballybofey Road.
Mr Ian Melvin (22), Coolaney, Ballymote, Co Sligo, died when his car went out of control and hit a wall in Finlough, Ballinacarrow, Co Sligo, at about 1.20 a.m. yesterday.
Early on Saturday, two men were killed in a three-vehicle collision in Dundalk, Co Louth. Gardaí said a jeep involved in the collision had come to their attention earlier but they were not pursuing it at the time of the accident.
The jeep and a car collided and a third car became involved in the accident. The dead men were named as Mr Éamon Curran (40), Woodbury Gardens, Dundalk, and Mr Kevin O'Malley (35), Woodlawns Mill Road, Mornington, Co Meath. Their bodies were removed to Louth County Hospital.
The collision happened at Dowdall's Hill, Dundalk, at about 3.55 a.m. Four other people in the three vehicles suffered injuries, some critical, and they were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
Last night a hospital spokeswoman said that one male patient was still in a critical condition, while a female patient's condition was stable. The other two patients had been discharged from hospital, she said.
Gardaí in Dundalk have appealed for witnesses to the accident. They can be contacted at 042 9388400.
Gardaí have also appealed for witnesses to an accident in Dublin yesterday. Two youths were seriously injured when they fell from a motorcycle in Ballinteer Avenue at 12.40 p.m.
