Traffic accidents were up 4.2 per cent between October and December of last year when compared to the same period a year prior, data published on Wednesday showed.

Casualties as a result of those crashes were up even more, rising by 12.1 per cent. Seven people died as a result of crashes in those months – the same number of fatalities registered in the same period the previous year.

Data published by the National Statistics Office showed that there were 3,977 crashes in the fourth quarter of 2023. More than half of the crashes, 55.3 per cent, involved passenger cars. One in every three collisions (33.3 per cent) involved a motorcycle.

More crashes were registered on Tuesdays than any other day of the week, but crashes on Friday were the most likely to result in casualties. The 9am to 11.59pm window was the most dangerous for drivers, with more crashes reported during those hours than others.  

Birkirkara, St Paul’s Bay and Qormi – three of Malta’s largest towns – reported the most crashes during the period under review.

All districts recorded an increase in road traffic accidents except for the South Eastern and Gozo and Comino district, which recorded a decrease, when compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year. The Northern Harbour district registered the highest percentage increase in road traffic accidents at 10.4 per cent, followed by the Northern district at 6.6 per cent.