Almost 300 killed or badly hurt by speeding drivers in N Ireland in four years
From 2019 to 2023, 30 people were killed and 267 people were seriously hurt in collisions caused by speeding.
According to the figures from the Department for Infrastructure, young people, aged between 16 and 24, accounted for 41% of those killed or seriously injured due to speeding in that time, while males accounted for 64%.
They also show 70% of serious speeding collisions happened on rural roads, and that males were responsible for over three-quarters (77%).
The Newry, Mourne and Down local government district had the highest annual rate (6.5) of speeding casualties per 100,000 resident population, while Belfast had the lowest (1).
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins described the figures as a 'sad and stark reminder to us all of the human cost of speeding' and urged a change in behaviour on the roads.
'Too many people are affected by serious road traffic collisions in our communities,' she said.
'Sadly, these figures show that young people and males are disproportionately affected – our children, among them our brothers, fathers and sons.
' One of the best ways to fulfil our long-term goal of eliminating death and serious injury by 2050 is by changing road user behaviour.
'We must all slow down and take better care on our roads.
'Today's figures are another sad and stark reminder of the importance of reducing our speed as road users because this will in turn help to reduce the number of families devastated by serious road traffic collisions.'
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who chairs the Assembly Infrastructure Committee, said the figures should provoke a more co-ordinated approach to making our roads safer.
'These statistics make for sobering reading,' she said.
'Behind each of these figures is a family left grieving or a person living with life-altering injuries. My thoughts are with all those who have suffered loss or trauma.
'As chair of the Infrastructure Committee, I am calling for greater urgency and coordination between the minister and all stakeholders, including the PSNI.
'Tackling speeding must be a strategic priority, not just a policing issue, with a cross-departmental approach, involving education and enforcement. One death on our roads is one too many.
'There is a role for all of us. Slowing down, staying alert, and respecting other road users are basic responsibilities that save lives. We need to change attitudes, especially among those who see speed as a measure of confidence or skill. It isn't – it is a killer.'
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