Northern Ireland has recorded 29 road deaths so far this year, more than double the figure for the same period in 2024. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced funding for three road safety campaigns set to launch on May 7, 2026.

The campaigns target general driver behaviour and motorcyclist safety. Kimmins described road safety as a key priority and noted that every road death causes family grief. She committed the funding due to recent increases in fatalities.

Last year, Kimmins reinstated the road safety advertising budget with almost £2 million allocated to Road Safety Promotion for 2025-26. The Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership added £500,000 in sponsorship, raising the total to almost £2.5 million.

That budget supported campaigns on speeding, driver behaviour, drug driving, and safety around school buses. Separately, Kimmins secured £1 million last year for community transport, which Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan called vital for rural and elderly residents.

Boylan welcomed Kimmins's ongoing support for community transport providers after a meeting with the Community Transport Association.