Road traffic accidents up 8.4% in first three months of 2019

The number of road traffic accidents reported in the first three months of 2019 rose by 8.4% over the same period in the previous year, reaching a total of 3,656.

The largest share of these, 1,375, or 37.6%, where reported in the Northern Harbour district of Malta.

Road traffic casualties, however, decreased by 3% to a total of 360 compared to the same period in 2018.

The information - which emerged from figures published by the National Statistics Office on Friday - show that 30 drivers, six passengers and 23 pedestrians/other persons were grievously injured in traffic accident in the first quarter of 2019.

When classified by gender, grievously injured persons totalled 59, the majority of whom were males, at 71.2%.

The only recorded traffic fatality in the first three months of this year involved a male person, while the majority of casualties fell in the 26 to 40 age-bracket.

Most casualties involve passenger vehicles, cyclists only slightly injured

The largest number of road traffic casualties, 63.1%, involved passenger cars, followed by motorcycles, at 21.7%, and goods-carrying vehicles, at 9.4%.

(Source: NSO)

The fatally injured person happened to be a passenger car driver.

Four cyclists were hit but sustained only slight/insignificant injuries.

Road traffic casualties caused by collisions between vehicles topped the list with 68.9%t of the total.

Friday worst day for traffic accidents

The highest road traffic casualty rate occurred on Tuesdays and Sundays with 61 casualties on both week days, while the highest number of road traffic accidents took place on Fridays with 600 cases or 16.4% of the total.

(Source: NSO)

The time bracket during which most road traffic accidents occurred was between 9am and 11.59am, with 821 cases or 22.5% cent of the total, followed by the 12pm to 2.59pm time bracket with 779 cases.

The least number of accidents occurring daily took place between 3am and 5.59am, with 58 cases.

The highest frequency of such accidents was registered in Birkirkara with 320 cases. Qormi and Mosta were next, with 210 and 176 reported accidents respectively.