In the first quarter this year, the number of reported accidents reached 3,710, an increase of 92 over the same quarter last year, according to the National Statistics Office.

Injuries were sustained by 159 drivers as a result of traffic accidents in the quarter under review, of whom 127 suffered slight injuries while 29 were grievously hurt. Included among the casualties during the period under review were 45 pedestrians and 65 passengers.

There were three fatalities, all male drivers.

Of the recorded casualties – 269 in total – 209 people were slightly injured, of whom 123 were male and 86 female. The number of people grievously and fatally injured was 60, of whom 41 were male and 19 female.

Those aged between 25 and 39 comprised the biggest proportion of casualties – just over 34 per cent of the total.

Seventy-four per cent of casualties sustained injuries in accidents involving private cars. Another 15 per cent were injured in accidents that involved motorcycles. The data show that a sizeable proportion of casualties – 43 per cent – were involved in accidents that occurred over the weekend period of Friday to Sunday.