The number of people who have died on the State's roads this year reached 306 yesterday, as gardaí released the names of two men who died in collisions on Tuesday night.
Garda statistics show that 32 fewer people have died on Irish roads this year than in the corresponding period in 2006.
An incident in which a 19-year-old motorist died late on Tuesday night is being investigated by gardaí in Kilkenny.
Thomas Dowling, from Urlingford, Co Kilkenny, died when the car he was driving collided with a van on the R693 at Troyswood, Freshford Road, Kilkenny, shortly after 11pm.
Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses to contact them at Kilkenny Garda station on 056-7775000.
It was also confirmed yesterday that a Monaghan man died when he stepped into the path of an articulated lorry on Tuesday night.
Vincent "Vincie" Casey (58) was hit at about 7.30pm at a road junction on the N2, at Kilnacloy.
Locals said Mr Casey was a well-known character in the area who would regularly stop passersby to read them his poetry.
The busy road where the collision occurred, known as the Armagh Road, is the main Dublin to Derry route. "He just stepped off the road in front of the lorry," said a local garda. Mr Casey was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where he later died.
The driver of the truck, which had a local registration, was questioned by gardaí. It is understood that he will not face charges.
Meanwhile, the funerals took place yesterday of a mother and daughter from Redcastle, Donegal, who died in a road traffic incident on the outskirts of Derry last Saturday morning.
Bernie McElhinney (57) and her daughter Lisa Marie (31) were killed instantly when their car collided head on with another car on Culmore Road.
The McElhinney family had moved from Templegrove in Derry to Redcastle less than three months ago.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funerals in Holy Family Church in Derry.
Fr Patrick O'Kane said the deaths of the mother and daughter had caused widespread shock, disbelief and sadness in the community. "What a sad sight we have here today - the coffins of a mother and daughter so tragically and suddenly taken from us on the month of Christmas. The fragile hold we have on life and the frailty of this world in which we live has come to visit us all," he said.