Drivers need to be punished more for breaking red lights in order to cut road deaths, a driving instructor has argued. 

So far 93 people have died on Ireland’s road this year - 11 more than died in the same period in 2025. 

Of the Republic’s 26 counties, only Offaly has not recorded a single road death. 

On The Hard Shoulder, Joe Wynne of Wynne’s School of Motoring in Tullamore said he believes enforcement lies at the heart of Offaly’s record of road safety. 

“The reason that I would give is a very strong Garda presence on our roads throughout County Offaly,” he explained. 

“I think when you meet a checkpoint or you meet a speed van or you meet a speed camera or you meet an RSA checkpoint, which is very regular here around County Offaly. 

“I'm based in Tullamore and it's a very regular occurrence; it changes drivers' behaviour, it changes drivers' attitudes.”

However, Mr Wynne believes cutting road deaths is not just about Gardaí, it is about changing the mindset of road users. 

“We have to tackle speed,” he urged. 

“We have to tackle mobile phone use, we have to tackle drug driving. 

“Drug driving is a scourge throughout the country and it is endemic.

“It is every bit as bad as speed, as driving on your mobile phones - there are so many things that the government can do to improve road safety.” 

Mr Wynne added that even people who drive through red lights need to be reminded of the potentially fatal consequences of their actions. 

“In the courts in Offaly, in the district court, I now have drivers coming to me who have to do advanced safety driving lessons,” he said. 

“Their punishment has actually been sent back to driving schools like mine here in Tullamore to carry out driving lessons and the focus of the lesson is advanced safety driving. 

“That's so drivers don't break red lights, go through red lights, get caught driving with mobile phones. 

“This is the kind of legislation that we need brought in where we are punishing the road user who is breaking red lights.” 

Also on the programme, Oireachtas Transport Chair and Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy acknowledged the salience of speed when it comes to tackling road deaths. 

“Look, alcohol and speed are the two biggest contributors to road fatalities,” he said. 

“In terms of reducing the speed limit on our local roads, our rural local roads, that's now completed since the 7th of February 2025 - the second phase is now underway.

“I'm very familiar with what Tipperary County Council are doing at the moment, and that's the reduction to 30 kilometres an hour in built up areas.”

Main image: Gardaí policing the roads.