Traffic accidents surge by 78.5pc, says Emergency Hospital

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Emergency Hospital has reported a significant rise in road traffic accidents in Afghanistan, revealing a fivefold increase since 2021.

In a statement, the hospital said: “Between March 2022 and March 2024, recorded estimates show an increase from 2,662 to 5,520 accidents — an increase of 78.5%.”

The hospital noted that the majority of accidents during this period involved vehicles veering off the road, overturning, or crashing into walls, ravines, or rivers.

It added, at least 21 individuals with severe injuries were transported to the Surgical Centre in Kabul, while several others with less serious injuries arrived in the emergency room following traffic accidents on the Kabul-Kandahar highway.

Since August 2021, the total number of traffic accidents in Afghanistan has increased fivefold, the statement concluded.

On Wednesday night, At least 50 people, including women and children,  have been killed and 70 others wounded in two separate traffic accidents in southern Ghazni province.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) also expressed its deep sorrow over the Wednesday night's tragic traffic accidents in the province.

The caretaker government has also instructed relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take necessary measures to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

sa