550 people died in Czech traffic accidents in 2019

Prague, Jan 1 (CTK) – A total of 550 people died in traffic accidents in the Czech Republic in 2019, which is 15 fewer than in the preceding year, but more than in 2017 and 2016, Traffic Police director Jiri Zly told CTK today, citing current preliminary figures.

The police will release definitive statistical data in this respect on January 8, he said.

The number of people severely injured in traffic accidents also dropped year-on-year.

The most tragic month last year was August, when 62 people died on Czech roads.

The death toll was the lowest, 25, in January.

The worst day of the past year was November 11, when nine people died, including five in a collision of three cars near Pavlice, south Moravia. Four of them died still before the arrival of the medical service, and a four-month-old infant succumbed to fatal injuries later in a hospital.

The number of people severely injured in traffic accidents reached 1,875 last year, which is 227 fewer than in 2018.

The causes of fatal and serious accidents were the same as in the past – mainly the drivers’ disrespect for the state of the road, weather and other circumstances, and distracted and wrong-way driving, Zly said.

The preliminary statistics show that 91 pedestrians died in accidents in 2019, which is 22 fewer than in 2018.

The number of fatalities among cyclists was 37, about the same number as in 2018.

The number of traffic accidents increased by almost 3,000 to 102,000 in 2019.

Number of deaths in traffic accidents in Czechia:

Source: traffic police