Number of traffic accidents, injuries increase in first quarter 2023

During the first quarter of 2023, road traffic accidents and casualties increased when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Road traffic fatalities amounted to four, the National Statistics Office said Tuesday.

The number of reported traffic accidents during the first quarter of 2023 reached 3,822, an increase of 6.3 per cent over the same period in 2022. The Northern Harbour district registered the most accidents with 1,369 cases, or 35.8 per cent of all accidents.

Road traffic casualties increased by 13.3 per cent to 367 over the same period in 2022. Grievously injured persons amounted to 96, and consisted of 52 drivers, eight passengers and 36 pedestrians/cyclists/others. The injuries suffered by one driver and three pedestrians proved fatal. During this quarter, five less fatalities occurred when compared to the same period in 2022.

The majority of those grievously injured were males (77.1 per cent). Moreover, all the fatalities that occurred during this quarter involved males. 39.8 per cent of the casualties involved persons in the 26-to-40 age-bracket.

The largest number of road traffic casualties (53.1 per cent) involved passenger cars, followed by motorcycles (34.6 per cent) and goods-carrying vehicles (6.5 per cent). The four fatalities included a vehicle colliding with another vehicle, killing the driver, and three pedestrians being hit by a vehicle. Cyclists involved in traffic accidents amounted to eight, where six suffered slight injuries and two suffered grievous injuries. Road traffic casualties resulting from accidents between vehicles topped the list with 64.3 per cent of all road traffic casualties.

The highest number of road traffic casualties occurred on Thursdays, with 65 casualties, and the highest number of road traffic accidents also occurred on Thursdays, with 621 cases, or 16.2 per cent of the total. The time bracket during which most road traffic accidents occurred was 09:00 – 11:59, with 844 cases, or 22.1 per cent of the total, followed by the 12:00 – 14:59 time bracket with 828 cases. The smallest number of accidents occurring daily took place between 03:00 – 05:59 with 60 cases.

The highest incidence of road traffic accidents was registered in Birkirkara, with 271 cases, followed by Ħal Qormi and Mosta, with 220 and 183 cases respectively.

Għarb, Qala, Għasri, Ta’ Kerċem, Xgħajra, San Lawrenz and Il-Fontana registered less than five road traffic accidents.