Traffic accidents increased by 7% in 2015 – NSO

● Higher rate of fatalities, grievous injuries for pedestrians

Traffic accidents increased by 7.1% in 2015 when compared to the previous year, according to regional statistics published by the National Statistics Office this week.

During the year under review, there were a total of 15,504 traffic accidents – an increase of 1,031 over the previous year.

Birkirkara had the highest number of accidents, with 1,187 reported cases.

All in all, the Northern Harbour area, which includes Birkirkara, Swatar, Gżira, Ħamrun, Imsida, Pembroke, Pietà, Qormi, St Julian’s, Santa Venera, Sliema, Is-Swieqi, Madliena and Ta’ Xbiex, saw the largest number of increase in car accidents, with an increase of 470 cases.

This region also accounted for 37.5% of total traffic accidents in Malta. The Gozo and Comino district had the lowest number of registered accidents - 794 cases.

The Northern Harbour region saw the largest number of traffic casualties, amounting to 29.2% of the total. Meanwhile Gozo and Comino accounted for only 6.5% of the total traffic casualties.

Overall, traffic casualties decreased by 4.7% over 2014. From the 1,010 casualties in 2015, 850 suffered slight injuries, 156 suffered grievous, whilst four drivers received fatal injuries.

Excluding these casualties, there were also 359 passengers and 185 pedestrians who sustained slight injuries from traffic accidents, while 46 passengers and 104 pedestrians sustained grievous injuries.

The number of fatalities in 2015 reached eleven. Four drivers, two passengers and five pedestrians lost their lives in traffic accidents during that year.