Laois had the highest number of crash deaths in the midlands in 2018, when six people were killed in road accidents.
The figures, which come from the Road Safety Authority, show it was the worst year for fatal crashes in the county since 2014 and went against a record low for road deaths.
Seven people were killed and 150 were injured on the county’s roads in 2014.
2018 was also a massive increase on 2017, when there was only one road death in Laois.
Nationally however, 2018 went down as the safest year since road deaths were recorded in 1959.
By the end of the year, a total of 149 people lost their lives on Ireland’s roads compared to the 156 lives lost in 2017.
RSA chairperson Liz O’Donnell pointed out that garda policing numbers on roads increased in 2018 and will rise again this year.
The RSA says an extra 67 driver testers are being appointed nationwide to deal with an increased demand for driving tests.
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