Road accidents kill 70 during Eid holiday in Türkiye

ANKARA

A total of 70 people lost their lives in traffic accidents during the nine-day Eid al-Adha holiday across Türkiye, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi announced on June 1.

Although the Eid al-Adha lasts four days, millions of people extended it into a nine-day break by combining it with the weekend, turning it into a major travel period.

Many citizens took to the roads either to visit tourism destinations or travel to their hometowns for family visits, resulting in heavy nationwide traffic.

“In spite of all our measures, unfortunately 70 of our citizens lost their lives in traffic accidents during the Eid holiday period,” Çiftçi said in a social media statement.

He also noted that this figure represents the lowest death toll recorded during any nine-day Eid holiday period to date.

Compared with the average of previous Eid holidays, fatal traffic accidents decreased by 45.1 percent, while fatalities at the scene of accidents declined by 34.3 percent, the minister noted.

Before Eid, authorities announced that they introduced stricter vehicle equipment requirements and expanded traffic enforcement measures aimed at reducing accidents and improving road safety.

Under newly enforced regulations, motorists are now required to carry additional safety and repair equipment in their vehicles, including pliers, screwdrivers and towing ropes. Authorities are also increasing the number of mobile radar units and speed-control checkpoints along major highways during the holiday rush.