Sam Waide
Chief Executive Officer, Road Safety Authority
Every parent, guardian and teacher shares the same instinct: to keep children safe. Yet, when it comes to our roads, Ireland’s youngest citizens remain vulnerable.
Anew report from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) reveals stark figures highlighting how much more must be done to protect children on our streets.
Sobering child casualty figures
Between 2020 and 2024, 39 children aged 0–15 years lost their lives on Irish roads, while a further 584 were seriously injured. Children made up 5% of total road fatalities and 8% of serious injuries during this period. Two out of every three children injured were either walking or cycling. Almost half of all child casualties were pedestrians, while nearly one in five were cyclists.
“Every child should feel safe when walking or cycling to school, when travelling as a passenger or when simply playing in their community,” says RSA Chief Executive Sam Waide. “These figures remind us that road safety for children must be a shared priority — for parents, schools, policymakers and every road user in Ireland.”
When and where road risk peaks
The report highlights important patterns to help us understand when and where children are most vulnerable.
Location: Seven in 10 child casualties were on urban roads, in and around our cities, towns and villages. However, the majority of children injured as passengers were injured on higher speed rural roads (80km/h and above). Dublin and Cork saw the highest numbers of child casualties.
Gender: Boys were more at risk than girls. Over the five-year period, 62% of child casualties were male, of which the majority were vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
Age: Children aged 10–15 years accounted for two-thirds of all child casualties, suggesting that older children, though more independent, remain vulnerable in complex traffic environments.
Time: Danger peaks in the afternoons and evenings. Seven in 10 child casualties occurred between 12pm and 8pm. Fridays saw the highest proportion of injuries.
Every child should feel safe when walking or
cycling to school, when travelling as a passenger
or when simply playing in their community.
Parents and guardians as safety role models
Parents and guardians remain the most powerful role models. The habits children learn in the car, on the footpath or on the bike lane are often the ones they carry into adulthood. Something as simple as always wearing a seat belt, putting the phone away while driving or wearing a helmet on the bike can send a powerful message.
Parents are encouraged to walk the local area with their child, discussing the risks they encounter — whether that’s why they shouldn’t cross between parked cars, the importance of holding hands or how to use pedestrian crossings safely.
How to promote safe cycling
Cycling is a healthy, enjoyable activity for children, but it must be approached with safety first. Children should always wear a helmet and high-visibility clothing. Parents should ensure their bike is the right size and in good working order. Crucially, children under 12 should not cycle alone in traffic.
The Government’s Road Safety Strategy (2021–2030) is now in its second phase, with an action plan covering 2025–2027. Many of its measures directly benefit children, particularly those travelling to and from school.
Strengthening road safety education
The RSA is leading on primary action nine, which focuses on strengthening road safety education. Building on successes like the Road Safety Matters course for Transition Year students, it is reviewing its education programmes to ensure they meet the needs of children and young people today.
“Every child lost or seriously injured on our roads represents a tragedy that ripples through families, schools and communities,” says Waide. “By working together — slowing down, staying alert and prioritising safety — we can create an environment where children are free to travel, play and grow without fear.”
Ireland has set the goal of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Protecting children on the roads is not just part of that vision — it is at the heart of it.
