Fermanagh among worst areas for speeding casualties

By Callum McGuigan
FERMANAGH and Omagh has been named the second-worst area in the North for deaths and serious injuries caused by speeding, new figures have revealed.
A report by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) shows that between 2019 and 2023, the district recorded 5.5 killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties per 100,000 people due to speeding.
Only Newry, Mourne and Down had a higher rate, at 6.5 per 100,000.
Across Northern Ireland, 297 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions linked to excessive speed during the five-year period.
In Fermanagh and Omagh alone, there was one fatality and 31 serious injuries. In comparison, Mid Ulster recorded five deaths and 20 serious injuries, while Derry City and Strabane saw one death and 16 serious injuries.
The report also revealed that young people aged 16 to 24 accounted for 41 per-cent of all speeding-related casualties, with males making up 64 per-cent of those killed or seriously injured.
Notably, 70 per-cent of these incidents occurred on rural roads.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins called the figures ‘a sad and stark reminder’ of the human cost of speeding.
“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, our brothers, fathers and sons.”
Ms Kimmins stressed the importance of changing driver behaviour to meet the long-term goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2050.
“We must all slow down and take better care on our roads,” she added. “Reducing our speed will help reduce the number of families devastated by road traffic collisions.”