The Road Safety Authority has urged drivers to stay safe and sober during the Christmas period.
Last December 14 people lost their lives on Irish roads and 124 were seriously injured.
So far this year, 165 people have been killed in road traffic accidents.
Speaking at the RSA's Christmas Road Safety Campaign launch, its Chief Executive Sam Waide said the majority of road deaths have been drivers.
He added that 84% of those fatalities have been on rural roads.
"At a period when everyone wants to go and visit friends and family over Christmas/New Year, take that extra care on rural roads, particularly if you're going out of the towns and cities and visiting those family and friends - take extra care.
"The driving conditions will be challenging in terms of storms, rain, and it is about the environment as much as your behaviour behind the wheel.
"We’re urging people to beware of that so that you can actually enjoy Christmas, New Year and return safely for 2025," said Mr Waide.
Over half of the 7,000 people detected to be driving under the influence of an intoxicant this year were arrested for drink-driving offences.
Breath tests carried out by An Garda Síochána increased by 26% last year and drug tests have increased by 57% in the same period.
They have carried out over 100,000 checkpoints, averaging 300 checkpoints per day in the past 11 months.
Up to 56% of arrests were alcohol-related, 44% were drug-related while the number of drug-driving detections increased 11% compared to 2023.
The Medical Bureau for Road Safety (MBRS) has allocated 32,000 drug wipes to gardaí, over 1,000 held roadside breathalysers and 87 station breathalysers.
MBRS Director, Professor Denis Cusack, said intoxicated driving with alcohol and other drugs continues to be a major crash risk and problem on Irish roads.
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Results of recent MBRS testing show average blood alcohol levels found in drivers arrested were three times the legal limit this year, while the maximum found was eight and a half times the legal limit.
The average blood level of cannabis and cocaine found in drivers in 2023 was six times the legal limit.
The largest age group found to be over the limit for alcohol is 17-35 years of age.
To help prevent drink driving the RSA has been piloting Flinebox breathalysers in some hospitality locations, including the Electric Picnic.
These devices measure blood alcohol levels after drivers have taken a drink, allowing them to make an informed decision before getting back on the road.
However it is the development of alcohol interlock devices that could greatly reduce the danger of drink driving.
Not yet in use in private cars, this technology has been developed by Darger and Alcolock.
It works by prompting heh driver to do a breath test once the ignition is started.
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If the result is over the preset limit, the vehicle cannot be started.
It is hoped the technology could be used to prevent offending or to help prevent reoffending in alcohol dependency cases.
Prof Cusack said there's a "glow of hope this Christmas" with the prospect that with the introduction of alcohol interlock devices over the next few years, they will be able to stop drink drivers.
"The National Office for Traffic medicine, the Road Safety Authority, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and other agencies are working hard so that sometime in the future, not too distant I hope, we will have that program combined to take people off the road, to put alcohol interlock devices into their cars and to support them medically, to see if we can help them overcome that problem."
