Colonel Assad Karami, head of Iran’s Traffic Police, confirmed the death toll on Thursday through the final days of Nowruz travels.
“Despite initial reductions, accident rates surged during the return wave,” he told ILNA news agency, attributing crashes mainly to driver fatigue and speeding.
New enforcement measures now mandate three-month license suspensions for any violation causing accidents. Drivers caught operating vehicles during suspension will face criminal charges.
Meanwhile, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company reported 150.2 million liters of gasoline consumed on March 31 – a 21.4 million liter increase from last year. Average daily consumption during the first 12 Nowruz days reached 132.2 million liters, peaking at 141.6 million on March 29.
Heavy return traffic continues on major routes like Karaj-Chalus and Tehran-North Highway.
Provinces including Gilan, Mazandaran, and Isfahan experience severe congestion.
Authorities attribute both accidents and fuel spikes to unprecedented travel volumes during Persian New Year that started on March 21.
