ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Traffic accidents in the Kurdistan Region have decreased by 50 percent, and traffic-related deaths by 60 percent, following the implementation of highway point-to-point radar systems, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced on Sunday.
Speaking at the launch of the Safety Guide in Erbil, Prime Minister Barzani lauded the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) interior ministry for completing this "vital task," describing it as “a cornerstone of the Ninth Cabinet's strategy.”
The core purpose of the guide is “protecting the safety of buildings, residential areas, warehouses, fuel stations, and all projects that citizens frequent," Prime Minister Barzani stated, underscoring its role in preventing technical errors that could lead to severe human and material damage.
He further highlighted the speed monitoring camera system as one of the key aspects of the Safety Guide initiative, which has yielded remarkable results.
The system “has significantly contributed to reducing traffic accidents and saving thousands of citizens' lives,” Prime Minister Barzani said, adding that “in areas where the project was fully implemented, traffic accidents decreased by 50 percent within one year, while fatalities and serious injuries dropped by over 60 percent.”
He reaffirmed the interior ministry’s commitment to equipping its personnel, including police (Asayish) and Civil Defense, with the latest technology for crime fighting, rescue, and firefighting.
Statistics from the Kurdistan Region’s interior ministry, obtained by Rudaw in May, reveal that 779 traffic accidents occurred across the Kurdistan Region in 2024, resulting in 98 deaths and 1,437 injuries.
While data for 2023 was unavailable, figures from 2022 showed that 3,706 accidents were recorded that year, leading to 445 fatalities and 7,250 injuries.
Accordingly, between 2022 and 2024, traffic fatalities in the Kurdistan Region dropped by 78 percent, from 445 to 98, while the number of traffic accidents also decreased from 3,706 to 779 incidents.
