TEN children aged 0-15 were either seriously injured or killed on Clare roads between 2021 and 2025, according to new Road Safety Authority figures, as thousands of pupils begin to return to school.
The report does not provide a breakdown of the Clare figures between those who sustained serious injuries and fatalities.
The figures are contained in the RSA’s Child Casualties Report 2021-2025, which records 658 children killed or seriously injured on roads across Ireland during the five-year period.
The national total included 38 fatalities and 620 serious injuries.
The report shows that 13% of child casualties nationally between 2021 and 2025 occurred while children were travelling to or from school.
It also found that 72% of child casualties occurred on roads with speed limits of 60km/h or less.
Almost half of child casualties nationally were pedestrians, while 26% were passengers and 17% were cyclists.
The report also found that almost two-thirds of children who were seriously injured were aged between 10 and 15.
The RSA said the return to school typically brings a significant increase in traffic, as well as more children walking and cycling, particularly around schools and during school drop-off and pick-up times.
Around 2,200 primary school pupils attend schools across Ennis, where traffic congestion can be a particular issue at drop-off and pick-up times.
Traffic congestion around Ennis schools has previously been raised as a concern, with parking on footpaths and obstruction of bus lanes identified as issues during school drop-off and collection times.
Michael Rowland, Director of Research, Standards & Assurance at the RSA, said: “The return to school is a busy time on our roads, with more vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists sharing the road space, particularly around schools and during the afternoon school run.”
He urged drivers to slow down, put away distractions and give children the time and space they need to get to school safely.
The RSA is also reminding parents to ensure children are properly restrained when travelling by car and to ensure they wear helmets when cycling.
Motorists are being urged not to park on footpaths when dropping children to or collecting them from school, as parked vehicles can obstruct pedestrians and force them into the road.
-Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
