Speeding remains widespread on Irish roads, RSA survey finds

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has published its 2024 “Free Speed” survey, revealing that excessive speed remains a serious issue across Ireland  particularly on urban roads and among certain vehicle types.

The annual survey, conducted at 80 locations nationwide, shows that while compliance with speed limits is generally better on higher-speed roads, speeding remains worryingly high on roads with 30 km/h, 50 km/h and 60 km/h limits.

According to the RSA, speed is a key factor in road traffic injuries. The European Road Safety Observatory (ERSO) estimates that speed contributes to 10–15% of all collisions and up to 30% of fatal crashes, making compliance monitoring essential for road safety planning.

Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, said: “The evidence shows that reducing speed saves lives and prevents serious injuries.

“We are urging all drivers to take personal responsibility, reduce their speed, and recognise that even small reductions in speed can make a life-saving difference.

“Driving within the speed limit is not just about obeying the law, it’s about saving lives.”

The RSA has been conducting free speed surveys since 2006.

In 2024, data was collected on roads with limits of 30 km/h, 50 km/h, 60 km/h and 80 km/h, with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) data used to assess compliance on 100 km/h and 120 km/h roads.

Key findings from the 2024 Free Speed Survey include:

Over half of drivers (54%) exceeded the speed limit on 30 km/h roads, with only slight improvement from 2023.

More than four in ten drivers exceeded the limit on 50 km/h and 60 km/h roads.

On 80 km/h and 100 km/h roads, just over a third of drivers exceeded the limit, with a slight decline in compliance from 2023.

Motorways had the lowest rate of non-compliance, with around one in six drivers exceeding the 120 km/h limit, similar to last year.

Speeding was more common between 8pm and 8am across nearly all road types, a trend also seen in 2023.

Weekend speeding increased notably on 50 km/h and 60 km/h roads, while weekday speeding was higher on 80 km/h roads.

Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) showed high non-compliance on 100 km/h and 120 km/h roads. On 100 km/h roads, 78% of HGV drivers were found to exceed their legal limit of 80 km/h — a trend that has remained consistent in recent years.

Commenting further, Sarah O’Connor said: “The levels of non-compliance on all urban roads (30 km/h, 50 km/h and 60 km/h) represents a risk for vulnerable road users. In addition, non-compliance among HGV drivers on 100 km/h and 120 km/h roads is a major concern.

“With the summer months seeing increased numbers of cyclists and pedestrians on our roads, the RSA is calling on all motorists to moderate their speed, stay alert, and remember the life-saving impact of driving within speed limits.”