Traffic accidents top 4,000 in three months

The number of traffic accidents in the third quarter this year stood at 4,166 between, an increase of 18 over the same quarter last year.

The National Statistics Office said that, in the period under review, 81 individuals (including drivers, passengers and pedestrians) - 52 males and 29 females - sustained grievous or fatal injuries. These included five fatalities - three males and two females. All five fatalities took place over the weekend - two on a Saturday and three on a Sunday.

In the case of motorists, the NSO said 186 drivers sustained injuries (not just serious or fatal). Indeed, a breakdown reveals that 146 drivers suffered slight injuries, 39 were badly injured and one died.

The study also showed that 46 pedestrians and 102 passengers were injured between July and September when three pedestrians and a passenger died.

Thus, the traffic accidents that occurred in the third quarter of this year involved 338 casualties. The majority, 252 (or 74.6 per cent) were caused by passenger cars, 48 (or 14.2 per cent) were caused by motorcycles, 33 (9.7 per cent) by goods vehicles and five (1.7 per cent) by coaches or buses.

Most of the casualties involved individuals in the 25 - 39 age bracket - 98 casualties. These were followed by the 15 - 24 age bracket with 91 reported casualties and by the 40-59 bracket with 83 reported casualties.

The study also showed that, in the quarter under review, 177 (or 52.4 per cent) of the reported casualties - including the five fatalities - occurred between Friday and Sunday.

Those slightly injured totalled 257 - 163 males and 94 females.

The study also showed that most of the reported traffic accidents took place in the northern harbour region ( which includes Qormi, Birkirkara, Gzira, Hamrun Msida, Pembroke, Pietà, St Julians, San Gwann, Santa Venera, Sliema, Swieqi and Ta' Xbiex) although the number of accidents was 70 below that reported in the same quarter last year.

The NSO explained that traffic accidents data was compiled from administrative information provided by the police and the Guard and Warden Services Limited. The type of casualty (slight or grievous) was determined by the Health Department.