Road accidents in Libya persistently claim lives, inflict injuries, and cause substantial material losses to citizens. In just one week, numerous incidents were recorded across various regions of the country.
Tragic incidents across various regions:
In Ain Zara, a horrific accident occurred in the early morning hours on a local road, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and varying degrees of injury to others. The Ain Zara Traffic Department reported that the incident stemmed from a collision between two vehicles, leading to significant human and material losses. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the circumstances.
The western junction of Brega was the scene of another tragic accident last week, where a person from the Murada area died in a dreadful private car collision. Additionally, a Palestinian child perished in a traffic accident at the same junction; the child was a resident of the Al-Jahaz (Al-Bahr) district in the third residential area. The city of Brega also witnessed another traffic incident involving a Kia K7 car overturning, driven by a young man in his twenties, who was subsequently hospitalised. Furthermore, two cars collided near the university entrance, which led to the death of an Egyptian woman and injured an approximately eight-year-old child from Murada.
In Gminis, a young man in his twenties, a resident of Gminis Al-Shamaliyah Al-Hamra, lost his life in a traffic accident on the Sloug-Gminis road.
Another horrific traffic accident was recorded in Bisher, resulting in the deaths of four Libyans and injuries to three others, including an Egyptian national. Three individuals also died in a traffic accident on Company 40 Road, following a collision between two vehicles, one of which caught fire with the victims inside. The victims hailed from the cities of Tazirbu and Kufra.
Libya ranks second globally in road fatalities:
Faisal Barnous, director of the Traffic and Licensing Department at the Ministry of Interior, revealed that traffic accidents across the country claimed 2,460 lives during 2024, representing the second-highest rate globally. Barnous added that “in 2024, the fatality rate due to traffic accidents in Libya reached 34 per 100,000 people, totalling 2,460 deaths across Libya, which is the second highest rate globally.” Barnous emphasised ongoing efforts to tighten traffic laws to curb road accidents and fatalities nationwide.
Causes and calls for action:
The primary reasons for the daily increase in traffic accidents are attributed to the dilapidated state of roads and the lack of maintenance following international standards, rendering vehicles frequently susceptible to accidents. Additionally, excessive speeding and the absence of strict enforcement on highways allow some drivers to reach record speeds that are incompatible with Libyan road conditions.
Despite the alarming figures presented in statistics, road accidents continue to claim lives amid a lack of practical and effective measures to halt this continuous human toll on public roads.