A jump in the number of drunk pedestrians being hit by cars has been blamed for contributing to the highest road toll in NSW in three years.

The NSW Government has released its latest figures, which show 348 people died on NSW roads in 2015, up by 41 in 2014.

Of those, 61 deaths were pedestrians and that figure was up by 20 from 2014.

Centre for Road Safety executive director Bernard Carlon said the provisional figures indicated two main reasons for the deaths.

"People are just rushing — they're crossing mid-block, not using traffic signals," he said.

"Part of the increase which is associated with a midnight to 6:00am increase in fatalities, clearly that's associated with people who are intoxicated."

NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay said people out celebrating needed to remember to take care of their friends.

"It's one thing to have a plan B when driving. It's another thing to be drunk on foot.

"If you're out drinking with your mates look after your mates. Don't let some poor bloke walk under the path of a car whilst he's paralytic."

The figures showed passenger deaths were also up by 17 to 60 and the number of motorcyclists killed rose by seven to 66.

Fatal crashes involving P-plate driver increased from 34 to 50 but the number of young adults aged 21 to 25 who died went down from 36 to 26, which continued a decade long trend.

The number of fatalities in metropolitan areas increased 33 per cent while twice as many people lost their lives on regional roads than metropolitan roads.

Saturday was the worst day for car accidents.

Government to analyse results

However, while the NSW road toll was the highest in three years it was also the third lowest since they started being recorded early last century.

It was also the second lowest road toll per head of population.

"It's still not good enough," Mr Gay said.

"But it's an indication that what we're doing is working."

Mr Gay said there were places where the Government would focus its attention.

"What we will do is go back and analyse these results," he said.

"There's an increasing number of people who are distracted and texting."

The main reasons for fatal accidents were speeding, fatigue and drink and drug driving.

"Those you that are away on holidays we want you to get back safely and remember that the second biggest killer is fatigue," Mr Gay said.

More children die on NSW roads

Mr Carlon said 16 children between the ages of five and 16 also died on the roads.

"The majority of these were passengers and that was an increase of nine from last year and it really heightens the message that drivers need to be responsible for their passengers," he said.

Five passengers died when they were not wearing restraints, also an increase.

"This is a primary protection measure when you're in a crash," Mr Carlon said.

Assistant Commissioner John Hartley from the NSW Police reminded motorists that police would be cracking down on drivers until the end of January as part of Operation Stay Alive.

"So far we've seen 700,000 breath tests conducted and had 900 people charged with drink driving which is way, way too high and way too much of a risk for us all," he said.

"In particular double demerits for use of mobile phones over the double demerit period.

"We've already had in the first three days of Christmas had 111 people caught using mobile phones during the double demerit period."