Traffic accidents claim 50 lives during Eid al-Adha

ANKARA

Fifty people lost their lives in road accidents across Turkey this year during Eid al-Adha, the Interior Ministry has said.

A total of 45 accidents occurred from the eve of Eid al-Adha on Aug. 11 to the last day of the holiday on Aug. 14, covering a period of four days.

The accidents took place in 33 of Turkey’s provinces.

All across Turkey, especially at destinations where traffic frequently gets congested, 116,236 traffic officers, 360 personnel tasked to monitor bus trips and 56 chief police and gendarmerie inspectors were assigned for traffic measures, the ministry’s written statement read. The tasked forces performed their duties for a week, from Aug. 9 to Aug. 15.

Death tolls from car crashes, however, have decreased significantly in Turkey despite a boom in motor vehicle ownerships in the country in the last decade, the ministry said.

This is because of meticulous precautions taken, according to the ministry.

“No bus accidents involving death occurred at 20 accident perilous spots in 18 provinces which we detected and took precautions,” the ministry said.

The ministry also recommended citizens to arrange their returns from their vacations according to the estimated traffic jams, during the weekend on Aug. 17 and Aug. 18, and always take 10-minute breaks every two hours while driving.

The ministry’s statement also put emphasis on the importance of fastening seat belts, even on bus trips, and urged citizens to abide by traffic rules.