The number of cars declared off the road is down by close to a fifth since the early days of the pandemic.
Some 9,940 vehicles were declared off the road in May 2019, rising by 15 per cent to 11,476 in May 2020.
However, May 2021 saw the number decrease by 18.6 per cent to 9,336, according to figures from the Department of Transport.
AA Ireland said factors such as working from home likely influenced the fluctuation of the numbers.
“At the height of the pandemic, people were urged to work from home where possible, unemployment rates soared, and non-essential travel was deemed unnecessary and not permitted,” the automobile association said.
“Now that Covid-19 restrictions are easing and many sectors have returned, including schools and some parts of the hospitality sector, traffic volumes have increased and more vehicles are back on the road.”
Traffic incidents
According to AA Roadwatch, there was a marked reduction in road traffic incidents in April 2020 (45) compared to April 2021 (171).
When inter-county travel resumed on May 10th, the AA said the number of weekly incidents increased to 64, compared to the average number of 18 in May 2020.
Many routes in mid-May 2020 were recording as low as 50 per cent of their typical weekday traffic volumes based on Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) figures, whereas traffic volumes in mid-May 2021 were 88 per cent of normal.
The latest figures show that since the start of June, there has been a marked increase in traffic volumes, with most routes now back up to 95 per cent of pre-pandemic volumes.
"Our patrol teams tell us that vehicles that have been sitting idle for many months could have several items that require attention. This includes your tyres, battery and levels," said Anna Cullen of AA Roadwatch.
This post by AA Roadwatch covers in detail some essential checks one can make before getting back out on the road.
