Three lives lost in three separate Christmas tragedies has brought the number of deaths on the north’s roads in 2024 to 67, as the family of one of the victims say they are “devastated” at their loss.
Monday morning saw a man in his 40s killed as a lorry he was driving crashed in the Moylagh Road area of Beragh.
He was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services arrived to find the lorry overturned.
On Monday night heartache was brought on the family of a 20-year-old woman who died when the car she was a passenger in crashed at Ballyconnell Road in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh.
Police named her as Amy Stokes, from Ballyconnell in Co Cavan, and she became the 66th person to lose their lives on roads in Northern Ireland this year.
On Christmas Eve, a man in his 30s was killed in a single-vehicle crash in the Downpatrick Road area of Ballynahinch.
Following the death of Amy Stokes on Monday night, a PSNI spokesperson said her family asked the service to “pass on that they are devastated by her loss, and that she will be sorely missed by her family and friends”, adding: “They ask for privacy at this very difficult time.”
Friends and relatives posted online tributes to Ms Stokes, with one cousin stating the young woman was “taken way too soon” and had her “whole life ahead of her”.
One friend said there would “never be another like her”.
Three other people in the silver Vauxhall Astra she was travelling in were treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
As of Christmas Day, eight people have lost their lives in collisions so far in December, making it along with September - when eight also died - the worst months of the year for road deaths.
In December of last year, 71 people were killed in collisions - out of a total of 68 for the whole year.
The worst month this year for road tragedy was September, when eight deaths occurred.
Of those killed this year, 50 were males and 16 were female.
Last weekend saw three people killed in the space of two days.
Police have urged caution for drivers in December, when annual figures often show a high number of fatal collisions.
In a statement issued before Tuesday and Wednesday’s tragedies, a PSNI spokesperson said: “Our thoughts go out the families at this sad time and we are urging everyone to take extra caution when getting behind the wheel over the busy Christmas period.”
