Fatal traffic accidents*, which have been a painful issue for years, continue. Yesterday, the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents this year was 37, Yeniduzen reports.. However, in two separate accidents that took place yesterday evening, three more people lost their lives, bringing the total to 40.
The first accident happened around 6 pm on the Mutluyaka-Tuzla main road, where 63-year-old Melahat Baykur died at the scene, and Sadettin Baykur, who was in the same car, passed away this morning at the hospital where he was receiving treatment. In another accident in Kyrenia at 7.30 pm, 31-year-old Ömer Ülker lost his life.
UPDATE: In a separate report, Yeniduzen writes that Beyro Yıldırım, aged 57, who was seriously injured in a traffic accident that occurred on the Avtepe-Derince main road on October 10, lost his life in the hospital where he was receiving treatment.
*In 2024, road traffic deaths in North Cyprus have remained a significant concern. By August, road accidents claimed 134 lives over a 56-month period, which averages out to approximately 28-30 deaths annually. Penalties for driving offences, such as speeding and drink-driving, remain relatively low, with fines and short-term driving bans for offenders. Despite recent revisions to penalties, the enforcement remains less strict compared to other countries like the UK, where more severe penalties, including longer driving bans and jail sentences, are imposed for similar offences. [Ed.]
