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Road Traffic Volumes

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  • In 2016, Irish licensed vehicles travelled a total of 48.5 billion kilometres. Each vehicle travelled, on average, 18,441 kilometres in 2016.

  • Private cars accounted for 77.5% of the total number of licensed vehicles and 75.6% of the total distance travelled in 2016. On average, each private car travelled 18,000 kilometres in 2016.

X-axis labelAverage vehicle kilometres, 2016
Private cars18
Goods vehicles22.899
Motorcycles2.769
Tractors and
machinery
17.677
Small PSVs40.409
Large PSVs45.864
Exempt
vehicles
18.009
Other
vehicles
8.407
Table 5.1 Road traffic volumes of national fleet by vehicle type, 2005 - 2016
YearPrivate carsGoods vehiclesMotorcyclesTractors and machinerySmall PSVsLarge PSVsExempt vehiclesOther vehiclesTotal
 Vehicle population1
20051,647,331280,21734,37376,00222,3157,48918,67228,7512,115,150
20061,746,845305,74334,41076,90823,6447,77120,23131,4362,246,988
20071,858,906335,71635,84178,86126,1398,18122,34834,4832,400,476
20081,932,729352,23938,06879,40429,1598,63624,40937,7842,502,429
20091,914,924344,67138,74176,00728,9598,67925,64441,4042,479,030
20101,890,110331,77938,04372,01427,5788,37325,58744,2152,437,699
20111,886,421319,53036,53170,46326,0428,20326,17346,1602,419,523
20121,896,184312,86635,43870,28824,7798,24126,09547,9062,421,798
20131,913,939312,57835,67085,80123,6058,30726,16457,6332,463,697
20141,950,080316,68736,42995,59322,8908,63726,21164,9062,521,433
20151,992,819326,27736,75592,36722,4289,01927,01967,2782,573,961
20162,038,268338,43137,46189,23721,9359,53927,74268,4792,631,093
Vehicle kilometres (million)
200529,5866,7431301,46389729134132639,777
200630,6607,1901271,44692929536134841,357
200731,9737,7361301,4531,00630539137443,368
200831,4507,9011591,9421,07231041247543,721
200933,3917,8551351,37094534950456245,110
201031,7346,8701231,26393231046447042,166
201131,6386,5461141,23297030846041341,681
201231,0766,1671061,31086029845537840,648
201332,0316,3201031,34487329944234541,757
201431,4576,9991031,64786737546353642,447
201534,6097,2901021,59889139649157345,950
201636,6897,7501041,57788643750057648,519
Average vehicle kilometres
200517,96024,0633,78719,24340,18938,89318,28111,32318,806
200617,55223,5163,70118,80639,27538,00917,86611,06518,406
200717,20023,0443,62618,42938,48737,24617,50710,84418,067
200816,27222,4324,18624,45236,75835,92016,88812,57017,472
200917,43722,7893,47218,01932,63040,25519,67013,57818,197
201016,78920,7073,23817,53633,80436,98418,12910,62717,297
201116,77120,4873,12517,48037,23337,57817,5568,95417,227
201216,38819,7112,99618,63334,69836,14817,4277,88416,784
201316,73620,2202,88715,66536,99436,01416,8805,98116,949
201416,13122,1002,83517,22837,87443,44617,6778,25416,834
201517,36722,3442,77417,29839,74043,92118,1658,51817,852
201618,00022,8992,76917,67740,40945,86418,0098,40718,441
Source: CSO
1 Vehicle population represents annual average for each year
Table 5.2 Road traffic statistics of national fleet by year of registration and vehicle type, 2016
Year of registrationPrivate carsGoods vehiclesMotorcycles
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
2004 or earlier447,8166,42614,350 72,8781,36618,748 11,340262,259
2005137,3382,10015,292 26,94754220,110 2,22762,564
2006159,3292,78617,485 34,05280123,529 2,59872,645
2007177,5052,92216,460 37,27387323,429 3,20192,725
2008163,5742,80717,158 28,56767623,676 3,402102,808
200981,4371,55719,120 13,45031723,539 2,62582,890
2010113,2902,03417,956 12,12728923,793 1,92162,983
2011118,3472,35419,893 12,11130625,281 1,51353,076
2012106,8352,27121,256 12,48731825,438 1,30743,173
2013112,8122,45321,742 16,32642526,061 1,49453,278
2014139,0633,00721,624 23,75160225,337 1,89863,377
2015158,4163,34421,108 29,16472924,986 2,28483,478
2016122,5062,62921,459 19,29950626,210 1,65063,570
Total2,038,26836,68918,000 338,4317,75022,899 37,4611042,769
 Tractors and machinery Small PSVs Large PSVs
 Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
2004 or earlier42,89562114,467 1,9386835,241 2,2247533,802
20054,9618817,828 1,3485238,801 5361834,427
20065,51310118,347 1,8857439,494 8534248,887
20075,96711218,854 3,09112640,899 8474249,234
20085,69211219,594 2,3289239,527 1,0255149,844
20093,4327020,427 1,3965640,151 4742348,846
20102,3735021,100 1,7367140,676 2511249,035
20113,0246621,682 1,5976741,814 2721348,503
20122,8836422,180 1,7217543,348 4232456,975
20133,8168823,038 1,4116042,860 5802950,388
20143,5408323,432 1,4446242,749 7253751,668
20153,3017823,726 1,2335140,973 8124252,339
20161,8404424,118 8073239,800 5192853,048
Total89,2371,57717,677 21,93588640,409 9,53943745,864
 Exempt vehicles Other vehicles All vehicles
 Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
2004 or earlier3,1065216,762 42,0552806,662 624,2528,91414,280
20051,0461817,670 2,5023313,067 176,9052,85816,157
20061,4832718,051 3,0603912,795 208,7733,87718,571
20072,1003918,518 3,4324312,664 233,4164,16717,851
20081,8033117,079 3,4373811,067 209,8293,81618,186
20091,0421817,292 2,700269,759 106,5562,07519,473
20101,1212017,515 2,297229,430 135,1152,50318,523
20111,2102319,032 1,556159,910 139,6302,84920,404
20121,1372118,560 1,4071711,789 128,1982,79321,786
20131,5763119,401 1,821189,898 139,8353,10922,236
20142,6134918,572 1,8081910,521 174,8413,86522,105
20155,62910117,992 1,6181710,376 202,4574,37021,584
20163,8777018,172 786810,631 151,2843,32321,968
Total27,74250018,009 68,4785768,407 2,631,09348,51918,441
Source: CSO

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Table 5.3 Road traffic volumes of national fleet by vehicle type and type of fuel, 2016
Vehicle typePetrolDieselOther Total
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
Private cars1,077,25215,32314,224 937,46421,02722,430 23,55334014,422 2,038,26836,68918,000
Goods vehicles7081419,685 337,5767,73322,907 148319,782 338,4317,75022,899
Motorcycles37,3971042,769 3002,956 3402,971 37,4611042,769
Tractors and machinery344410,469 88,8341,57317,710 5919,393 89,2371,57717,677
Small PSVs4,43517138,513 16,94869240,853 5532341,998 21,93588640,409
Large PSVs11148,309 9,52843745,861 000 9,53943745,864
Exempt vehicles6,71910515,624 20,76439018,794 260416,930 27,74250018,009
Other vehicles21,4381004,663 46,93747510,123 10415,945 68,4795768,407
Total1,148,30115,82013,777 1,458,08032,32822,171 24,71137215,034 2,631,09348,51918,441
Source: CSO

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Table 5.4A Road traffic volumes of national fleet by county of owner and vehicle type, 2016
County of ownerPrivate carsGoods vehiclesMotorcycles Tractors and machinery Small PSVs
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
Carlow27,24553119,474 5,83412220,855 51212,693 2,0073316,440 173741,038
Cavan30,14061420,367 7,56917122,595 38912,785 2,9725217,659 164745,035
Clare55,6351,08219,446 9,53922323,425 89122,804 3,3916318,453 3991538,579
Cork249,2074,50418,072 40,45396823,919 5,106142,728 11,97720717,309 1,8987740,353
Donegal62,4661,22119,552 14,16531722,349 72922,859 3,7297219,215 3991641,220
Dublin529,1547,85014,835 66,6361,43721,563 11,859332,817 1,8933216,712 11,22844839,922
Galway109,7102,11619,288 20,52546822,789 1,37042,764 6,00710918,221 9483839,925
Kerry69,5121,30218,726 12,06326121,674 1,03732,729 4,4827817,503 4841938,356
Kildare97,7961,82818,696 14,84337024,905 1,96452,754 2,6094417,036 8673743,029
Kilkenny42,88683619,502 8,01719424,156 85122,714 3,9506817,225 221942,559
Laois32,88366420,208 5,87014224,183 48612,758 3,0575216,923 2211043,921
Leitrim13,82428820,841 3,3306218,691 14802,799 1,1032118,766 74337,436
Limerick86,8041,63218,806 13,27331924,062 1,38942,754 3,9876917,430 6962840,781
Longford16,54333520,264 3,7109325,055 22512,727 1,4182618,022 92443,291
Louth49,18391718,640 7,81118824,086 77222,784 1,2712317,776 5702442,689
Mayo58,4001,15519,777 13,05229422,548 58622,776 5,3439517,708 3181237,992
Meath81,8631,58319,340 14,35135724,857 1,53042,755 3,1195517,474 1,0314442,294
Monaghan24,55249320,074 7,47620126,836 29812,831 2,0733918,795 96437,515
Offaly32,71465319,964 6,32113521,347 63322,696 2,7575018,076 188738,353
Roscommon30,97566121,328 6,15810917,658 29212,767 2,6865018,644 143640,317
Sligo28,12753719,078 5,72810718,640 39712,719 1,8053318,211 176741,482
Tipperary 76,2691,51819,905 13,55930922,771 1,33842,747 5,94010517,659 2811241,715
Waterford54,87199218,082 7,91817221,753 1,21532,715 2,5664417,228 2931239,492
Westmeath39,91479519,929 7,69917522,740 59122,723 2,4414317,698 2981343,840
Wexford71,5341,39919,556 13,58037227,374 1,41442,706 4,7158217,438 2831140,158
Wicklow66,0631,18317,902 8,95018520,721 1,43642,764 1,9423316,972 3951639,655
Total2,038,26836,68918,000 338,4317,75022,899 37,4611042,769 89,2371,57717,677 21,93588640,409
Source: CSO

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Table 5.4B Road traffic volumes of national fleet by county of owner and vehicle type, 2016
County of ownerLarge PSVs Exempt vehicles Other vehicles All vehicles
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
Carlow123432,918 260519,068 1,270108,034 37,42371319,050
Cavan1721055,184 367717,921 1,460106,506 43,23387120,156
Clare201840,358 7391317,330 2,421197,773 73,2171,42619,471
Cork8593641,807 3,2455316,289 8,717707,994 321,4625,92818,439
Donegal5432546,230 9011718,756 4,276306,902 87,2081,70019,489
Dublin2,73513749,961 9,53916717,536 7,7249612,429 640,76810,20015,918
Galway5042447,115 1,7423721,163 5,116448,511 145,9212,83919,456
Kerry4752552,564 8011417,640 3,759225,817 92,6131,72418,615
Kildare4372046,447 9121718,808 2,560207,682 121,9892,34219,202
Kilkenny2501040,654 5451221,598 1,643138,058 58,3631,14519,618
Laois173632,422 324618,842 1,226118,807 44,23889220,157
Leitrim94328,638 239519,111 1,01966,018 19,83138819,546
Limerick2941552,643 1,0201615,975 3,054268,408 110,5182,11119,101
Longford96438,003 225418,258 99177,099 23,29947320,305
Louth200734,040 6621218,182 1,107109,430 61,5761,18319,216
Mayo3121446,496 1,0602018,984 2,4252610,621 81,4951,61819,853
Meath3341339,649 7591418,127 2,111219,948 105,0972,09019,889
Monaghan2061153,215 291620,446 1,14086,910 36,13276221,081
Offaly171844,211 308619,330 1,836157,998 44,92987519,475
Roscommon115432,496 418819,343 1,854116,182 42,64084919,918
Sligo105442,603 421717,111 1,550127,983 38,30970918,499
Tipperary3501440,408 8931719,210 2,885217,187 101,5151,99919,694
Waterford1601168,724 562916,857 1,622148,803 69,2071,25818,180
Westmeath142537,520 309619,492 1,438128,539 52,8341,05219,913
Wexford2681243,769 6301218,810 3,078268,446 95,5021,91820,080
Wicklow221836,886 5691016,873 2,197177,815 81,7731,45617,801
Total9,53943745,864 27,74250018,009 68,4795768,407 2,631,09348,51918,441
Source: CSO

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Table 5.5 Road traffic volumes of national fleet by month of year and vehicle type, 2016
MonthPrivate carsGoods vehiclesMotorcycles
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
January2,014,9652,7011,241 334,6715751,567 37,6988187
February2,028,8842,7561,279 335,8765831,610 37,5658192
March2,037,9773,0791,439 336,7646491,810 37,3539215
April2,041,2843,0291,422 337,2416371,791 37,1918212
May2,041,1493,1861,501 337,5696701,892 37,0109223
June2,035,6523,0501,440 337,1936421,817 36,9558215
July2,040,4003,2071,510 337,4646741,904 37,1269226
August2,045,8983,2821,539 338,8526901,941 37,3709231
September2,045,8513,1521,472 340,0386651,859 37,5859221
October2,044,2693,1791,477 341,0546731,865 37,7549222
November2,042,4833,1031,432 342,0906591,808 37,9189215
December2,040,4042,9661,358 342,3646311,713 38,0079203
Total2,038,26836,68918,000 338,4317,75022,899 37,4611042,769
 Tractors and machinery Small PSVs Large PSVs
 Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
January90,3061191,255 22,164682,920 9,255323,189
February90,1081201,281 22,127692,969 9,303323,263
March89,8021331,431 22,084763,310 9,324363,650
April89,4871301,408 22,032743,254 9,366353,607
May89,2261371,482 22,021783,421 9,468383,830
June88,9681311,422 21,998743,280 9,548363,697
July88,9031371,490 21,939773,423 9,569383,876
August88,9071401,518 21,876783,467 9,598393,953
September88,8441351,452 21,823753,304 9,692383,802
October88,7771361,458 21,763753,305 9,739393,828
November88,7631331,414 21,712733,196 9,790383,726
December88,7501271,342 21,684703,026 9,818363,541
Total89,2371,57717,677 21,93588640,409 9,53943745,864
 Exempt vehicles Other vehicles Total
 Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
January24,799341,166 70,19344604 2,604,0513,5811,272
February25,505351,216 69,79545614 2,619,1633,6481,309
March26,080401,382 69,40249683 2,628,7894,0711,472
April26,668401,382 69,00048671 2,632,2694,0031,455
May27,085421,468 68,59650704 2,632,1244,2091,536
June27,415411,418 68,24748674 2,625,9754,0301,474
July27,990441,500 67,99650705 2,631,3874,2361,545
August28,769461,545 67,88451718 2,639,1534,3351,575
September29,295451,489 67,84449687 2,640,9714,1671,507
October29,605461,500 67,73349688 2,640,6954,2051,512
November29,810451,459 67,61548668 2,640,1814,1071,466
December29,886431,387 67,43046633 2,638,3423,9271,390
Total27,74250018,009 68,4785768,407 2,631,09248,51918,441
Source: CSO

                                     

Table 5.6 Road traffic volumes for private cars by engine capacity and type of fuel, 2016
Engine capacity (cc)PetrolDieselOther Total
Vehicleskm (million)Average Km Vehicleskm (million)Average Km Vehicleskm (million)Average Km Vehicleskm (million)Average Km
Up to 1000137,4521,81913,236 156321,389 1,4692114,480 139,0781,84413,258
1001 - 1200132,7561,79113,494 3,1276621,213 6,0737211,860 141,9551,93013,594
1201 - 1400461,7216,53514,153 73,8261,57421,314 2,0663014,630 537,6138,13915,138
1401 - 1600215,2253,27015,193 323,0727,17622,212 3,8966316,160 542,19310,50919,382
1601 - 180062,94394014,927 69,7711,56622,442 5,4308114,937 138,1442,58618,723
1801 - 200050,07772614,501 380,7438,76823,027 1,5342315,043 432,3559,51722,012
Over 200017,07724214,152 86,7691,87421,601 3,0844915,892 106,9302,16520,247
Total1,077,25215,32314,224 937,46421,02722,430 23,55334014,422 2,038,26836,68918,000
Source: CSO

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Table 5.7 Road traffic volumes for private cars by county of owner and gender, 2016
County of ownerFemaleMaleCompany Total
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
Carlow12,90724619,038 13,59426819,683 7441723,217 27,24553119,474
Cavan14,71129820,273 14,82130120,287 6071524,574 30,14061420,367
Clare27,39752519,159 27,41153819,637 8271922,626 55,6351,08219,446
Cork118,8092,07117,431 123,9892,28518,426 6,40814823,100 249,2074,50418,072
Donegal29,89457719,290 31,25461519,673 1,3183022,621 62,4661,22119,552
Dublin242,5713,19313,165 245,4913,63014,788 41,0921,02624,972 529,1547,85014,835
Galway54,5341,03018,886 52,9141,03119,493 2,2625524,163 109,7102,11619,288
Kerry33,33861818,550 34,65365018,749 1,5213422,096 69,5121,30218,726
Kildare47,28384317,834 47,72591519,162 2,7877125,349 97,7961,82818,696
Kilkenny20,26538118,777 21,71143419,974 9102224,358 42,88683619,502
Laois15,66030919,710 16,65034220,550 5741423,847 32,88366420,208
Leitrim7,01414520,737 6,69214020,873 117325,315 13,82428820,841
Limerick40,64073818,154 43,59082819,006 2,5746625,719 86,8041,63218,806
Longford7,78015419,798 8,40217220,502 361924,740 16,54333520,264
Louth23,62642017,757 24,50747419,338 1,0502322,222 49,18391718,640
Mayo28,55155919,577 28,60656719,816 1,2432923,470 58,4001,15519,777
Meath40,73575918,638 39,72979319,949 1,3993122,489 81,8631,58319,340
Monaghan12,35424720,005 11,71423420,006 4841123,506 24,55249320,074
Offaly15,33129719,381 16,75634120,348 6281523,958 32,71465319,964
Roscommon13,49427820,622 13,57828420,930 3,9039825,149 30,97566121,328
Sligo14,13426418,697 13,44226119,385 5511221,404 28,12753719,078
Tipperary 35,91370319,566 38,67477520,030 1,6824124,283 76,2691,51819,905
Waterford25,55744617,470 26,99049218,213 2,3245423,293 54,87199218,082
Westmeath19,06037119,475 19,66939720,164 1,1852823,329 39,91479519,929
Wexford33,55763919,039 34,45267719,659 3,5248323,474 71,5341,39919,556
Wicklow32,72856617,306 32,13958918,334 1,1972722,630 66,0631,18317,902
Total967,84116,67817,232 989,15418,03118,229 81,2731,98124,369 2,038,26836,68918,000
Source: CSO

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Table 5.8 Road traffic volumes for goods vehicles by year of registration and unladen weight, 2016
Year of registrationUnladen weight
0 to 2 tonnes2 to 5 tonnes5 to 7.5 tonnes 7.5 to 10 tonnes
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km
2004 or earlier58,65796716,485 10,38222421,563 9622828,870 8903337,613
200519,96234017,054 5,24811521,880 255728,792 3601437,641
200623,93250721,205 7,61516721,974 3901129,407 4861938,493
200725,08353221,201 9,67321322,070 3731129,074 5032039,249
200819,14340621,224 7,24516022,085 4101229,387 4231637,614
20099,13819321,081 3,1766921,871 255829,641 2851137,607
20108,26917621,266 2,8836422,104 182529,695 231940,188
20118,26818522,366 2,7156122,428 150530,093 207839,665
20128,31518121,794 2,7776122,015 190629,648 224941,343
201310,68423722,196 3,6438022,059 245831,328 3621439,317
201415,88734921,966 5,30311621,861 273829,765 4411739,007
201519,02042922,561 7,61116721,895 310929,067 5112039,750
201611,74527123,053 5,56512422,262 171531,664 3421339,265
Total238,1054,77420,048 73,8371,62221,961 4,16512329,480 5,26520438,753
 Unladen weight 
10 to 12.5 tonnes Over 12.5 tonnes All vehicles 
Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km Vehicleskm (million)Average km 
2004 or earlier1,1075852,088 8805764,235 72,8781,36618,748 
20055933152,593 5303565,322 26,94754220,110 
20068024252,250 8275465,677 34,05280123,529 
20076893652,424 9516164,422 37,27387323,429 
20085402953,858 8065365,764 28,56767623,676 
20092251252,082 3712466,062 13,45031723,539 
20102311252,718 3312266,750 12,12728923,793 
20112591452,397 5123466,571 12,11130625,281 
20123091651,688 6724466,153 12,48731825,438 
20134862652,542 9056166,837 16,32642526,061 
20146473452,986 1,2007764,391 23,75160225,337 
20156403452,610 1,0727065,260 29,16472924,986 
20164252353,969 1,0506966,038 19,29950626,210 
Total6,95436652,613 10,10666265,492 338,4317,75022,899 
Source: CSO

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