The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is calling on farmers and landowners to cut overgrown hedges at roadsides to improve road safety.

The RSA - alongside the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) have issued a joint call for landowners to ensure hedges on their property are not causing road safety hazards.

Hedges can be cut between September 1 and the end of February. Under the Wildlife Act 1976, hedgecutting is prohibited from March 1 to August 31, except in cases where overgrowth poses a road safety hazard.

Properly maintained hedges ensure vulnerable road users are not forced onto the road by overgrown hedges, the RSA said.

It additionally allows motorists to have a clear view of what is in front of them or around a bend, especially on rural roads in the case of sightlines at junctions or obstructions to road signs. 

Sarah O'Connor, director of partnerships and external affairs with RSA, said: "Overgrown hedgerows can pose a road safety hazard.

"We all have a role to play in making roads safer, and landowners must take responsibility. Inaction could endanger lives," she added.

The RSA said landowners should "act now" to ensure compliance and prevent enforcement actions by local authorities.

Barry Kehoe, chairperson of the CCMA's transport committee - and chief executive of Westmeath County Council - said: "Local authorities have an important role to ensure that roadside verges are maintained and that local road safety issues are dealt with, while also recognising the importance of hedgerows and biodiversity.

"Landowners, and anyone living along the roadside, have a responsibility to check that hedges and trees on their property are not causing a road safety hazard," he added.

Kehoe said that, if hedges and trees are causing a hazard, landowners should take the necessary steps to ensure road safety.

He also called on members of the public to report road safety issues caused by overgrowth.

Results from a 2024 survey commissioned by the RSA found that 75% of 620 heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers surveyed reported overgrown roadside hedgerows to be challenging while driving.

The IRHA urged landowners to consider both truck and trailer height when cutting back hedgerows.

"Overgrown hedgerows pose a serious hazard to all road users, particularly for high-sided vehicles such as trucks," said Ger Hyland, the president of the IRHA.

"We urge landowners to take action and ensure hedgerows are trimmed back, not just at the roadside, but also at the necessary height; over 4m to accommodate our larger vehicles," Hyland added.