People have become far “too relaxed” about drink driving, the sister of a crash victim has said amid a surge in convictions for the practice. 

In the first half of 2025, nearly 6,000 people were convicted of drink driving - up 24% in comparison to the first six months of 2024. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, journalist and road safety campaigner Megan Scully said she was “not very surprised” when she heard the figures. 

 “I do feel that attitudes have changed towards drink driving in Ireland,” she said. 

“Again, there’s this attitude of, ‘Ah sure, one and I can drive home’ or, ‘Sure, I can have two and dinner and then I can drive home’. 

“That seems to be the way it’s gone.” 

Gardaí at the scene of a road crash. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.

Ms Scully said for a long time people were “very cautious” about drink driving and people planned their lives around a social life that did not end with driving home. 

This, she fears, has changed recently. 

“Over the years, it does seem that it’s kind of gone a bit too relaxed around it again,” she said. 

“I think people aren’t sure of the drink driving limits and an awful lot of people think, ‘Oh sure, I can just have one and it’ll be grand’.” 

Gardaí at the scene of a crash. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.

After Ms Scully’s brother died in a road traffic crash, she began campaigning for road safety.

She urged people to think and reflect what it means to lose a loved one in a road traffic crash. 

“You hear a news headline and a statistic but, at the end of the day, there’s a parent, sibling, a grandparent, a friend,” she said. 

“I think we need to kind of remember that, at the end of the day. when we hear these stories across the radio or read them in our newspapers that they a real person. 

“It’s the ripple effect because, here I am 20 years later, still campaigning for road safety. 

“Still speaking about my brother Marcus; it shouldn’t have to be that way but unfortunately that is the reality.” 

So far, 125 people have died on Irish roads this year - one fewer than passed away during the same period in 2024.

Main image: A member of An Garda Siochana places flowers given by the public near the scene of a crash in Tipperary. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie.