Services to take place today around the country to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

There will be services held in 12 different locations around Ireland as people gather to remember friends and relatives that have perished on Irish roads in the last 12 months.

23,755 people have died on Irish roads since records began in 1959, while the yearly death toll reached a peak in 1972 when 640 people died. Since then the efforts to reduce the risk of fatalities on our roads has been more concerted and in 2012 the death toll fell to 162.

196 people lost their lives on Irish roads last year, which has prompted further efforts from the RSA to curve the amount of road fatalities.

Today the thoughts of what we can do to make our roads safer will again be prevalent as people gather to mourn loved ones. The closest services to Kildare that are taking place today are in Belvedere & Uisneach suites, Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar at 2pm and St Finians Lutheran Church, 23 Adelaide Road, Ranelagh Dublin 2 at 3.30pm.