The highest number of traffic accidents occurs on Fridays, but the highest casualty rate is on Sundays, giving Sundays the highest casualty-to-accident ratio, according to figures issued by the NSO today.

The office said the number of reported traffic accidents grew by 144 in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period of last year, and reached 3,838.

Increases were recorded in all districts except Gozo.

The biggest percentage increase (8.8 per cent) occurred in the Northern district, where there were 1,447 cases, or 37.7 per cent of the total.

283 traffic casualties were reported between April and June, of which 166 involved drivers. There
were three fatalities among drivers. 125 drivers were slightly injured and 38 suffered grievous injuries.

A passenger was also killed, while eight other persons (12 passengers and 16 pedestrians) suffered grievous injuries and 88 (59 passengers and 29 pedestrians) were slightly injured.

The fatalities in the quarter under review comprised three men and a woman. The majority of male and female casualties were in the 25-39 age bracket.

77.0 per cent of traffic casualties were caused by passenger cars, followed by motorcycles at 12.7 per cent; 9.9 per cent were caused by goods-carrying vehicles.

The highest traffic casualty rate occurred on Sundays, accounting for 21.2 per cent of total casualties. The highest accident rate was recorded on Fridays, totalling 621 cases, and the lowest on Sundays, with 455 cases. However, Sundays topped the highest casualty-to-accident ratios.

The daily time bracket in which most accidents occur is between noon and 3 p.m. with 866 cases, or 22.6 per cent of the total. This is followed by the 9 a.m. to noon time bracket, with 772 cases. The lowest number of accidents happened between midnight and 3 a.m. (104 cases).

In the period under review, Birkirkara registered the highest rate of traffic accidents, with 226 cases. Marsa and Qormi were next, with 210 and 204 reported accidents respectively