Increase in Traffic Accidents in the Days Leading to 1404 Compared to the Same Period Last Year

A traffic police official reported over 21,000 traffic accidents in the lead-up to Nowruz, resulting in 185 deaths. Hassan Momeni, deputy of the traffic police, announced on Saturday, April 2, that from March 25 to the first day of Farvardin, at least 185 people lost their lives in 21,293 accidents. He also mentioned that the death toll is based on 'on-site' statistics and emphasized that the final death toll is usually higher, potentially reaching 370. According to Momeni, this number of accidents represents a six percent increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the weather conditions have caused heavy rainfall in some areas of the country, leading to disruptions in transportation routes and heavy traffic, as well as rockslides on roads, including the Haraz and Chalus highways. The police news agency, citing Ahmad Karami Asad, the head of the traffic police, reported that due to heavy rain and snow, as well as continuous rockslides, two people were injured on the Chalus road. It has now been announced that for public safety, the Chalus road will be closed from both sides until further notice. One day before the new year, Karami Asad reported traffic accidents occurring on the eve of the new year, which resulted in fatalities and injuries. He stated that in 2,690 traffic accidents within 24 hours leading up to March 28, 21 people died and 695 were injured. The events of Chaharshanbe Suri 1403 left at least 21 dead. The head of the traffic police also reported that a few days earlier, between March 25 and 28, over 13,000 accidents occurred across Iran, resulting in 87 deaths and 3,075 injuries. Iran has one of the highest road traffic death rates in the world, and according to the head of the country's forensic medicine organization, in 1402, the number of traffic accident fatalities in Iran surpassed 20,000 for the first time in ten years. However, the number of accidents and fatalities tends to increase each year in the lead-up to the new year and the early days of the Nowruz holidays. Among these events, Chaharshanbe Suri, where Iranians light fires and jump over them to celebrate an ancient ritual, has become a hazardous occasion over the years. Restrictions and prohibitions imposed by the Islamic Republic in recent years have led people and youth to resort to non-standard, unsafe, and often 'homemade' fireworks, ultimately resulting in significant injuries and even deaths, especially around the Nowruz holiday. This year, the head of Iran's emergency organization reported that 21 people died across Iran due to incidents related to Chaharshanbe Suri, indicating a 23 percent increase compared to last year.