RSA Launches "Crash Hour" Campaign Targeting Ireland's Deadliest Time on Roads

The Road Safety Authority has launched a new campaign rebranding the evening rush hour as "Crash Hour" after research revealed that 27% of road fatalities occur between 4pm and 8pm.

The national safety initiative targets the four-hour window when roads are statistically most dangerous, combining increased traffic volumes with tired, distracted, or rushing drivers and heightened interactions between motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

RSA data shows a stark pattern of serious and fatal collisions concentrated during the evening commute. In 2025, 49 fatalities occurred between 4pm and 8pm, representing 27% of all fatalities where time was recorded. The previous year saw similar figures, with 41 deaths (24% of the annual total) during these hours.

Driver injury statistics reinforce the danger of late afternoon travel. Between 2019 and 2023, 16% of serious driver injuries occurred specifically between 4pm and 6pm, with nearly half of all serious injuries happening in the broader 12pm to 8pm window.

The campaign uses clear messaging designed to appear across radio, outdoor advertising, and digital platforms during commute times. The creative approach directly reframes familiar language, replacing "Rush Hour" with "Crash Hour" to emphasise the heightened risk during evening travel.

The RSA is urging all road users to adopt specific safety behaviours during the 4pm to 8pm period. Drivers should slow down, as even small speed reductions increase reaction time and reduce collision severity. Distractions including phones must be eliminated, with the authority stressing that attention is a critical safety feature.

Additional precautions include extra vigilance for pedestrians at crossings, cyclists in blind spots, and motorcyclists weaving through traffic. Drivers should scan footpaths early, check mirrors thoroughly before manoeuvres, and leave safe passing space for cyclists. Adjusting for low sun and changing light conditions as daylight fades is particularly important.

Pedestrians and cyclists are advised to remove headphones to remain alert to surrounding traffic and to maximise visibility during lighting-up times.

The campaign reflects research showing that Ireland's roads become significantly more dangerous as the working day ends, when routine driving can become automatic and concentration wavers during the final journey home.