Independent radio stations right across Ireland have responded to the increase in road deaths and serious injuries with a new initiative to raise road safety awareness, to increase knowledge of the tragic and life-changing consequences of road collisions, and to cover practical measures to address this crucial issue.
Latest Garda statistics show that up to now in 2026, a total of 133 fatalities have taken place on Ireland’s roads, significantly more than the 120 in the same period last year.
Now 21 independent radio stations have united to run impactful factual programming to highlight the very serious issue of road safety and the ways that road users can work together to reduce deaths and injuries. This is a first-of-a-kind initiative in Ireland which was devised by the independent radio sector and developed to maximise awareness and to play a role in efforts to improve road safety in Ireland. 41% of radio listening in Ireland is in vehicles, so there will be multiple opportunities for huge numbers of listeners to hear this content on the stations as they drive – thus making the content very relevant and useful.
More than 100 documentary/discussion programmes as well as 1,100 shorter feature episodes will be broadcast in total on the 21 stations covering all parts of Ireland in bursts over the next year. The theme overall will be road safety, but the approaches and content will be individual and bespoke to each of the stations and relevant to their listeners. So it will be individual content designed by each station themselves and broadcast themselves, happening across the country, and having a real collective impact with a total of over 1,200 episodes or programmes.
The stations taking part in this unique initiative are: C103; Clare FM; Ireland’s Classic Hits; East Coast FM; Galway Bay FM; Highland Radio; KFM; KCLR96FM; Limerick’s Live 95; LMFM; Midlands 103; Midwest Radio; Northern Sound; Ocean FM; Q102; Radio Nova; Shannonside; South East Radio; Sunshine 106.8; Tipp FM; and WLR.
Michael Kelly, Chief Executive of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland said: “This is a unique initiative which means that listeners all over Ireland will hear programming which will increase their awareness and knowledge of road safety and how to stay safer as a road user. It is an example of stations playing their part in the urgent work of reducing deaths and serious injuries on the road, and it is possible because of the unity in our sector and the huge number of loyal listeners to our stations.”
The content will be created by stations’ professional presenters, editors and producers, and will include interviews and first-hand testimony from those who investigate accidents, attend the tragic scene of collisions, and who help victims, among many others. Detailed statistics, analysis and comment from An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority and local authorities are among other aspects expected to feature.
This initiative is supported by the News Reporting Scheme, which helps fund public interest journalism content through Coimisiún na Meán and the Exchequer. The lead applicant station for this group of independent radio stations taking part is KCLR 96FM in Carlow and Kilkenny and the application is co-ordinated in association with the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) representing stations and their listeners, through broadcasting expert Nessa McGann.
