Two more people died on Irish roads yesterday, bringing to 379 the total number of road fatalities so far this year This compares with 335 for all of 2003.
In Dublin, gardaí at Kevin Street have issued an appeal for witnesses to a fatal accident involving a truck and a cyclist in the south inner city at 11.15 a.m. The cyclist, who was in his 70s, died after the collision at the junction of Grand Canal Place and Echlin Street, Dublin 8.
In a separate incident, a 39-year-old woman was killed early yesterday morning in Wexford when the car in which she was a passenger crashed into a pillar.
She has been named as Ms Ella O'Brien, with an address in Northampton, England.
The incident happened on the N11 at Oylegate, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford at around 5.15 a.m. Ms O'Brien's body was taken to Wexford General Hospital. A Garda spokesman said that the driver, who was the only other occupant, did not sustain serious injury.
These latest fatalities mean that 44 more people have died on the roads so far this year than in 2003. In the past four weeks, gardaí have breath tested and arrested more motorists for suspected drink driving during their Christmas drink driving campaign than during last year's.
But still, 32 people have died during the four weeks of the campaign so far, compared with 19 for the same period last year, a rise of 68 per cent.
According to Garda figures released yesterday, 221 people were arrested for suspected drink driving in week four of the campaign, compared to 287 for the same week in 2003.
But overall, 1,122 people have been arrested in the first four weeks of the campaign, an increase of 5 per cent on the 2003 figure.
The number of people breath tested in the first four weeks is 1,589, compared to 1,168 in 2003. This represents an increase of 45 per cent.
Gardaí say that their campaign will continue into the New Year with road checks mounted throughout the party season in an effort to prevent more drink-related accidents.
It is hoped that with the recent snow and ice now largely gone, conditions for driving will be less dangerous."As always we continue to urge motorists to drive with care, ensure seat belt use, observe speed limits and never drink and drive," said a Garda spokesman.