Over 103 traffic deaths reported in 2018

Over 103 traffic deaths reported in 2018
Commuters drive on a highway road on the outskirts of Yangon. Photo: Ye Aung Thu/AFP
Commuters drive on a highway road on the outskirts of Yangon. Photo: Ye Aung Thu/AFP

A total of 473 traffic accidents on the Yangon-Mandalay expressway led to the loss of 103 lives in 2018,  according to the Myanmar highway police, state media reported.

A total of 877 people were injured in the accidents. Reckless driving, over-speeding, defective vehicles, and inclement weather were identified as the main causes of accidents on the country’s roads and expressways.

There were fewer deaths in 2018 compared with the previous year. In 2017, a total of 555 collisions on the Yangon-Mandalay expressway left 116 dead and 863 injured. In 2016, a total of 744 traffic accidents were reported, with 107 killed and 1,304 injured. A total of 453 road accidents left 124 dead and 1,033 injured, according to statistics from the Highway Police Force.

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