‘Record Low’ Road Traffic Accidents In 2020
In 2020 — when the island was under extensive restrictions — road traffic accidents deceased by “20% to a record low,” with a report stating that this was “likely due to curfews and stay-at-home orders.”
There were 1074 total collisions reported, or an average of around 2.94 per day, in 2020, with the majority involving cars.
This is according to the recently released Bermuda Digest of Statistics, which said, “Curfews instated by Government due to the pandemic reduced the number of hours traffic was on the road. This is likely a factor for the number of reported road traffic accidents falling by 20% to a record low.”
The first curfew was instituted in March 2020, restricting most residents from going out from 8pm – 6am, and a curfew remained in place until July 2020, it was lifted, and then re-instituted in December 2020, and April 2020 also saw the ‘Shelter in Place’ order, when residents were asked not to leave their homes unless for very specific purposes such as to buy groceries, attend essential jobs etc.
The report also noted that “the leading vehicles involved in these accidents were private cars, motorcycles and trucks, respectively, for the fifth year in a row. Accidents involving pedestrians trended downwards over the period and reached a record low of 6 in 2020.”
In 2020, “total road casualties decreased by 25% to an all-time low with the aforementioned curfews a likely influence,” the report said. “Non-fatal road casualties decreased by 25% while road traffic fatalities decreased by 33% to the lowest amount since 2002. Minor injuries comprised 83% of total road casualties. Fatalities involving motorcycles represented 83% of the total.”
The statistics cited above and included in the chart below refer to 2020, and unfortunately during the following year road traffic fatalities increased significantly, with 17 recorded in 2021.
The report also noted that the ”number of registered road vehicles declined year-over-year by 1%, the first decline since 2014.”
Chart extracted from the report:
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Category: Accidents and fires, All, News
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