TWENTY-TWO people have been killed on Northern Ireland's roads in just five months, with collisions so far claiming more lives in 2019 than last year.
The PSNI has published the latest road traffic collision statistics, which reveal there were 2,252 crashes between January and May.
In addition to the 22 deaths, there have been 314 people seriously injured and 3,164 slightly injured in the first months of the year.
That is five more deaths and 29 more serious injuries than the same period in 2018.
Twenty more of the deaths were drivers, which went up from 124 to 144.
There were also 30 children killed or seriously injured - 11 more than last year - and a total of 373 injured, an increase of 76 on January - May 2018.
The highest number of road deaths happened in Causeway Coast and Glens police district, which have an average of one a month, with none in Fermanagh and Omagh and Belfast City districts.
However, Belfast, which is home to the regional trauma centre, recorded the highest number of serious injuries, with 50 people badly wounded in collisions.
Four districts showed an increase in overall casualties, with the sharpest seen in Mid Ulster which went up by 112. Newry, Mourne and Down saw seven more, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon had five more and Antrim & Newtownabbey recorded an increase of four.
The research also reveals the three most common causes factors for `killed and seriously injured' casualties.
The most (53) were due to "wrong course/position', followed by "inattention or attention diverted" (38) and "excessive speed having regard to conditions" (32).
This month marks two years since the air ambulance (AANI) first took to the skies in Northern Ireland and since then it has been tasked to over 931 emergency missions.
From its base near Lisburn, the air ambulance can reach any part of Northern Ireland in around 25 minutes to deliver advanced care to those whose lives are at serious risk following significant injury or trauma.
The service operates seven days a week for 12 hours per day.
"The air ambulance is there for any one of us and might one day save your life or that of a loved one," Kerry Anderson, head of fundraising for AANI said.
"If we all do a little bit, we'll ensure the service is maintained for today, tomorrow and future generations."
She appealed for people to become Club AANI members which is the commitment a donation of £2 per week.
