Drivers are being asked to be extra careful while driving over Christmas, and to never drink and drive.

Gardai say that there will be more than 7,000 checkpoints around the country this Christmas in an effort to deter drink driving.

Alcohol, speeding, mobile phone use and not wearing a seat-belt are the biggest killers when people are involved in accidents according to the gardai.

So far 2015 has seen the lowest number of road deaths since records began. According to the traffic statistics posted by the Garda, there have been 157 killed on Irish roads to date this year.

This figure is down from 191 by this same date last year, with another two people being killed on the roads before 2014 had finished just one week later.

Chief Superintendent Mark Curran says if people stay conscious of dangers while driving, they can reduce their chance of being in an accident: "the four biggest risk behaviours are drink driving, speed, not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones, so [...] exercise safety and be responsible to your communities". 

Yesterday, the Taoiseach challenged Ireland to have a death-free Christmas on the roads.