Every single death on the road leaves a void in someone’s heart

Easter was traditionally a time when the sacredness of tears was given reverence, and no other day represented this more than Good Friday. Tears were seen as the messengers of the soul, and they could carry either sorrow or joy. This weekend, hearts will go out to all of those who have wept for loved ones lost on the roads, given the number of recent tragedies.

The symbolism of Easter – whether one shares in the Christian faith or not – is that while there can be great sadness, we can find ways to overcome it.

In this regard, the clear hope is that we can strive to reduce the number of deaths on our roads.

This weekend, we lose an hour, but too many people in this country have lost their lives because of fatal accidents. Preventing them must be a national priority.

Were we to turn back the clock to the eve of Good Friday in 1969, 21 people had died on the roads up to that point that year. That was also the year when a 60mph (100kmh) speed limit was introduced.

The country had woken up to the fact that speed was a serious safety concern on the roads.

Such an acknowledgement represented a big change in attitudes. Today there is much greater recognition and awareness of the dangers, but we are nonetheless due another step change in our behaviour when we get behind the wheel.

The number of road deaths in the Republic last year was the highest for almost a decade.

The circumstances of each collision are always different, but the devastation for those left behind is always the same.

This week, the hearts of the nation went out to the family of Una Bowden and her daughters Ciara (14) and Saoirse (10), who were killed in a collision near Claremorris, Co Mayo.

As of Wednesday morning, 55 people had died on Irish roads since the start of this year. However, the anguish for relatives and loved ones will always be immeasurable.

With its Vision Zero programme, the Government has a target of a 50pc reduction in deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and their complete eradication by 2050.

This is part of an EU campaign, yet its court of auditors report, which was published this week, noted that efforts to reduce road deaths in the bloc have stagnated.

Liz O’Donnell, chair of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), has repeatedly said “we must do more” to reverse the increase in road deaths.

She has advocated for a new national system of roadside cameras to aid detection of traffic offences and help eliminate bad driving.

Each tragedy leaves a void that can never be filled in the hearts of loved ones.

Over this Easter weekend, we might also take a moment to slow down and consider that while time is regarded as precious, life is so much more so, and each one that’s lost is one too many.