A garda road safety operation is under way since 7am this morning and will run until 7am next Tuesday.
Traffic volumes are expected to be high over the coming days and gardaí say every member of the force who is on-duty this weekend will be conducting road traffic enforcement activity.
Gardaí say that so far this year, one-in-three of those killed or seriously injured on Irish roads were under the age of 30.
The number of drivers and pedestrians killed on the roads between January and March was above average when compared to the same period over the past five years.
Gardaí say half of those fatally injured in road traffic collisions this year have been the driver, while two-thirds of all fatal collisions involved a single vehicle.
In the first three months of each of the past six years, for passengers and pedestrians, the largest age group for fatal and seriously injured road users were those aged 20 or younger.
They say there has been an increase in the number of road traffic collisions on Friday, Saturday and Sundays - with about double the five-year average number of collisions happening on Friday’s this year.
Gardaí are urging those out socialising who intend to consume alcohol to leave their car at home.
They advise arranging a designated driver, pre-booking a taxi, the use of public transport, or to arrange a lift home from someone they trust.
Gardaí say walking home or cycling under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also put road users at risk.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said that the most recent road collision analysis demonstrates "that there is still some way to go in younger drivers paying heed to our pleas to follow the road traffic laws".
She said: "There is a sense among some that gardaí are out conducting roads policing duties to catch people, make their lives difficult by adding penalty points to their licences and cost them money in fines.
"I can tell you that is absolutely not the case - we are working to help make sure everyone is safe on their journey.
"No garda has ever or will ever take satisfaction in responding to a horrific road traffic collision that has caused serious injuries or death.
"Being tasked to call to a home to deliver the worst possible news to a devastated family that their loved one has been killed is something that no garda ever wishes to do.
"Our work is aimed at avoiding all of those awful circumstances.
"This long Easter weekend there will be more road users out on the roads the usual whether out walking, cycling or driving to go see loved ones.
"We urge you to please slow down, do not drive while under the influence and please keep your focus on the road."
Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the Road Safety Authority said: "We are urging motorists to slow down and look out for all road users over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
"There will be more traffic than usual on the roads, including an increased number of cyclists and pedestrians out enjoying the longer evenings.
"There have been 48 lives been lost on our roads to date in 2025, and we do not want to add to that tragic figure."
