There were three fatalities in the second quarter of 2008, two males and one female. In the second quarter this year, the number of reported traffic accidents reached 4,073, an increase of 37 cases over the same quarter last year. The Northern district was the only one which registered a decrease in traffic accidents. The Northern Harbour district registered the highest number of accidents – 1,565 cases, or 38.4 per cent of the total.

In the period under review, 313 traffic casualties were reported. Of these, 194 drivers sustained injuries: 156 suffered slight injuries, 35 suffered grievous ones, while the injuries sustained by three drivers proved fatal. During the same period, 32 other persons – 14 passengers and 18 pedestrians – suffered grievous injuries, while 87 – 60 passengers and 27 pedestrians – suffered slight ones.

On a gender basis, slightly-injured persons in the second quarter of 2008 numbered 243: 138 males and 105 females. Grievously-injured persons came up to 67, the majority being males. The three fatalities in this quarter were two males and one female. The largest number of casualties – whether male or female – was in the 25-39 age group.

76 per cent of casualties were caused by passenger cars while 14.4 per cent were caused by motorcycles. As regards single days, the highest rate of traffic casualties was recorded on Thursdays, with 17.9 per cent of the total. However, nearly 40 per cent of all traffic casualties occurred during weekends, between Friday and Sunday.

In the period under review, Qormi was the locality with the highest rate of traffic accidents, with 235 cases. Birkirkara and Marsa came close, with 233 and 213 reported accidents respectively.