Four traffic fatalities during first quarter of 2016

The number of reported traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2016 reached 3,713, up by 3.9% over the comparative period in 2015, data from the NSO reveals.

The greatest concentration of accidents occurred in the Northern Harbour district, with a registered 1,460 cases, marking 39.3% of all accidents.

Statistics show that traffic casualties increased by 29.0% to 467 compared to 2015, of which 262 (56.1%) involved drivers. The number of slight injuries sustained by drivers was 224, with 35 cases being reported as grievous, and another 35 persons (15 passengers and 20 pedestrians) suffering grievous injuries.

The NSO added that there were also 124 passengers and 45 pedestrians who were slightly injured, while the injuries suffered by three drivers and one passenger were fatal.

Data reveals that on a gender basis, slightly injured persons in the first quarter this year amounted to 393: 218 males and 175 females, while grievously-injured persons totalled 70, with the majority being males. According to figures, the fatalities comprised of one male and three females, while the majority of casualties fell in the 26-40 age bracket.

Statistics reveal that the largest number of traffic casualties (73.0%) were caused by passenger cars, followed by motorcycles (15.4%) and goods-carrying vehicles (6.0%).

Other data shows that the highest traffic casualty rate occurred on Saturdays, accounting for 18.0% of total casualties, while the highest number of accidents were recorded on Thursdays, totalling 616 cases, and the lowest was recorded on Sundays, with 384 cases. On the other hand Sundays topped the highest casualty-to-accidents ratio, with 19.8% compared to an overall average of 12.6%.

Figures show that the daily time bracket in which most accidents occurred was between 09:00 and 11:59, with 837 cases, or 22.5% of the total, followed by the 12:00-14:59 time bracket, with 776 cases, whereas the least number of accidents occurring daily took place between 00:00 and 02:59 with 83 cases.

The highest rate of traffic accidents was registered in Birkirkara with 306 cases. Ħal Qormi and Marsa were next, with 190 and 158 reported accidents respectively.