Over the past 15 days, a tragic toll unfolded on the roads of Iran, with 617 lives lost and 16,583 individuals wounded in traffic accidents.
Deputy Road Police Chief Siavash Mohebbi revealed that the casualties were concentrated in Kerman, Fars, Sistan and Baluchestan, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, and Khuzestan provinces.
The surge in accidents was attributed to the Newroz holidays and increased travel, claiming an average of 41 lives daily across the country.
An uptick in travel from Tehran to various regions was observed, with 675,000 vehicles departing from the capital. Among these, 308,000 vehicles entered Mazandaran, 235,000 ventured into Gilan, and 75,000 reached Razavi Khorasan.
Traffic authorities noted a slight decrease in car traffic this year, with a 3% decline compared to the previous year, primarily due to adverse weather conditions.
Suburban roads bore the brunt of the accidents, accounting for 70% of incidents, while 30% occurred on city streets, primarily caused by speeding, driver fatigue, and sleep deprivation.
In a separate development, Mazandaran province witnessed a significant influx of tourists, with over nine million visitors recorded so far, as stated by Hussein Yazidi, the director-general of the local archaeological and tourism office.
