Over 100 people have been killed or seriously injured on Irish motorways since 2005, new figures have shown.

The figures were released at the launch of a new awareness campaign aimed at promoting safety on motorways. They show that last year alone, eight people died and 14 were seriously injured, marking the worst year since 2007, when 26 people were killed or seriously injured.

Meanwhile, six people have already been killed on motorways so far this year.

The new campaign is being run by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), the Gardai, the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Automobile Association (AA). It includes a new 40 second television advert, which raises awareness of important safety issues on motorways.

According to the RSA, an issue of particular concern is the number of pedestrians who were killed on motorways in 2010. Altogether, four people lost their lives while walking on motorways, the highest number in the five-year period, 2005 to 2010.

The campaign reminds members of the public never to walk on a motorway, no matter what the reason or urgency.

"Pedestrians are at a massive risk on a motorway. You're are taking your life in your hands and putting other road users in danger too. Likewise, drivers who stop on a motorway can cause collisions involving their own car and potentially many others. It's unsafe and it's an offence," commented RSA, chief executive, Noel Brett.

Also speaking at the launch of the campaign, Chief Superintendent Gabriel McIntyre of the Garda National Traffic Bureau insisted that the Gardai are committed to reducing the number of deaths and injuries on Irish roads.

"We have seen all too frequently the carnage that results from reckless and dangerous driving. Families, friends, colleagues and neighbours have suffered grief and anguish and the survivors of these collisions face their own personal battle as they struggle with the effects of their injuries on their lives and the lives of those around them," he said.

According to the NRA, Ireland's national road network has grown to 5,515km, including 1,187km of motorway network.

However according to the AA, while statistically, motorways are the safest roads we have, ‘that does not mean there is no danger'.

In fact, the AA attends an average of 60 breakdowns on motorways every week - an increase of 63% in the last year. This means ever greater exposure to danger for drivers and their passengers.

"The new roads are fantastic but motorways have specific safety rules for very good reasons. Traffic moves at high speed and when collisions occur they can be catastrophic. The hard shoulder, for example, is an extremely dangerous place to be yet some drivers use it almost casually. In darkness or in foggy conditions, the danger is magnified and drivers need to be aware of it," said AA's director of policy, Conor Faughnan.

The maximum speed limit on a motorway is 120km per hour, unless there are signs stating another speed limit (e.g. warning signals to highlight road works), or you are driving a vehicle that is subject to a lower limit, such as a bus or truck.

The RSA reminds drivers that your total stopping distance at 120km per hour is 107.5 metres in dry conditions. This is equivalent to the length of a football pitch.

Drivers should also ensure they leave enough room between their car and the vehicle in front to allow for a safe stop. In dry conditions, you should make sure that you are at least two seconds behind and this increases to four seconds in wet conditions.

"High speeds mean that just a moment's lapse of concentration could have serious consequences, so please don't drive if you're tired and plan your breaks before you set out on a journey. Ireland's motorway network is a fantastic asset, but we need to use it safely at all times," Mr Brett added.

The new advertising campaign focuses on the key motorway issues of lane merging, lane discipline on three lane motorways, overtaking and breakdowns.

The campaign will be supported by an information leaflet, which will be distributed to libraries, motor tax offices, Garda stations and driving test centres. The leaflet provides advice on safe driving on motorways, including advice on preparation for journeys, correct signalling and lane use and the correct procedure when joining and leaving the motorway.

Meanwhile, the RSA has incorporated closed captioned titles for the hard of hearing in this advertisement. These are available to viewers on the teletext 888 service. This is the first time that the RSA has incorporated this additional function and it plans to make it available in all future TV commercials.