Iran bracing for higher risk of road accidents in Nowruz as Covid wanes

With a few days left before the beginning of Nowruz holidays, many Iranians have already hit the road around the country, with officials warning of a higher risk of traffic accidents this year due to a likely rise in the number of trips following an easing of the Covid-19 restrictions.

Officials are predicting that the number of road accidents will witness a hike in the two-week New Year holidays, which will begin on Sunday, compared to the two previous years, during which tight restrictions were in place against the coronavirus outbreak.

In a report, Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization said 1,080 people lost their lives in road accidents during Nowruz in 2021, up by 92.6 percent compared to the similar period a year earlier.

“In the upcoming Nowruz, with the coronavirus-related travel restrictions having been minimized, the growing rate of accidents, fatalities and casualties could only be controlled through observing driving regulations, moving at a safe speed and paying attention to safety guidelines,” it said.

The National Coronavirus Taskforce has announced those who have received at least two doses of vaccine against Covid-19 can freely travel.

Generally, Iran has one of the highest death tolls from road traffic accidents in the world.
According to statistics, the lowest ever number of fatalities in Nowruz-time accidents was recorded in 2020, when coronavirus had just been detected in the country, setting off panic among people, and a ban was in place on inter-city trips.

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