More than 240 people were killed on Ireland's roads last year - a rise of 36 on 2012. While 56 people lost their lives in road collisions in the north, 188 people were killed in crashes in the republic.
That figure, up on 160 deaths in the south in 2012, marks the first rise in road fatalities in the republic for eight years.
In Northern Ireland, the number of road deaths also rose in 2013 to 56, up from 48 in 2012. Of those killed in the past 12 months, 24 were drivers, 12 were passengers, 10 were motorcyclists, seven were pedestrians and three were cyclists
The latest PSNI figures yesterday showed, that for the third year running, more men than women lost their lives on the roads.
Up until yesterday, a total of 42 men and 14 women had died in road traffic collisions in Northern Ireland. Of the 56 people killed, 54 were adults and two were aged under 16.
There was a spike in fatalities in both July and october, with seven people killed during both months.
The highest number of deaths took place in F District, taking in areas including Cookstown, Dungannon and South Tyrone, Fermanagh and omagh, where 15 people lost their lives.
The second highest death rate, a total of 11, took place in H District, taking in areas including Ballymena, Ballymoney, Larne and Coleraine.
Meanwhile, road deaths rose by 17.5 per cent in the republic in 2013.
Up until yesterday, there were 188 fatalities, compared to 160 in 2012.
of those who lost their lives in 2013, almost half, 95, were drivers, while 32 were passengers. Also killed were 29 pedestrians, 27 motorcyclists, and five cyclists.
The highest number of deaths took place in January and August, with 19 deaths during both months, followed by July, when there were 18 fatalities.
The latest fatality took place in Co Donegal on Monday night when a 70-year-old female pedestrian was struck by a car at Churchtown in Carndonagh.
The woman received serious head injuries and was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry where she died shortly before midnight.
The driver of the car, a man in his forties, was not injured.
It is the first time in eight years that the number of road deaths in the re-public has risen following high profile efforts by the authorities.
It follows a decline in the number of deaths in recent years, from 279 in 2008 and 238 in 2009.
Conor Faughnan, from the AA, said: "Alcohol is contributing factor, especially at this time of year".
"We urge motorists not to get behind the wheel whilst drunk," he said.
"Sadly, the reality is there will be a number of homes around the country where families will have to ring in the New Year with an empty place at the table."
The elderly woman killed in a car accident in Inishowen, Co Donegal, has been named locally as Maura Porter from Carndonagh. Ms Porter (70) died in Altnagelvin hospital in Derry after she was struck by a car while walking close to her home at Churchtown, Carndonagh shortly before 6pm on monday. Ms Porter is the 13th person to die on the roads in Co Donegal in the past year.