The speed limit on rural and local roads will change from 80km/h to 60km/h on Friday.
The affected roads are designated with an “L” followed by a number, or do not have a number.
Reducing speed limits is part of the Government’s road safety strategy and is one of a range of measures intended to reduce fatalities and protect all road users.
Local authorities have received grant funding from the Department of Transport to purchase and install poles and signs to display the new speed limit on the relevant roads.
The rural speed limit sign, which is used as an alternative to numeric speed limit signs on specific single lane rural roads, will now mean that a maximum 60km/h limit is in force.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said: “Today’s speed limit reduction will save lives, because driving slower saves lives.
“Driving at a lower speed means that if you get into a collision, either as a driver or a vulnerable road user, death or serious injury is a significantly less likely outcome. It also means you are less likely to be involved in a collision at all.
“Death and serious injuries on our roads are not inevitable, they are preventable through tangible, sensible measures. This Government is taking action to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries.”
Minister of State at the Department of Transport Seán Canney said the change is an outcome of “many years of consultation, deliberation and engagement across the system”.
“This welcome change will give us all safer roads,” he said. “Systemic changes like today’s speed limit reduction and road safety education – along with enforcement – have helped us significantly bring down road deaths, but in recent years this trend has worryingly reversed.
“Together we can make our roads safer, by observing the speed limit, driving safely and looking out for one another on rural local roads.”
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