32 killed in road accidents so far during Eid holiday

ANKARA

A total of 32 individuals lost their lives in traffic accidents during the eve and the first three days of Eid al-Adha across Türkiye, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.

As the holiday commenced on June 6 and concluded on June 9, millions took to the roads to seize the opportunity for a brief vacation.

Despite heightened measures annually reinforced by authorities to curb holiday-related accidents, the nation once again witnessed a tragic recurrence of preventable collisions.

On June 8 — the third day of the Eid — 722 traffic accidents were reported, Yerlikaya said on X.

Six individuals were killed at the scene, while 1,227 others sustained injuries.

Between June 5, which marked the eve of the Eid al-Adha, and the first three days of Eid, a staggering total of 2,960 accidents occurred, culminating in 32 deaths and 4,817 injuries.

Yerlikaya has yet to disclose figures pertaining to the final day of the holiday.

“Over the course of these four days, 1.9 million vehicles were inspected,” he stated. “Our inspections are not punitive in nature, but rather preventative, aimed at reducing the incidence of accidents and minimizing the loss of life to zero.”

The ministry launched a dedicated online platform displaying both radar-monitored and non-radar traffic checkpoints situated along key transit routes.

On the final day of the holiday, June 9, intercity roads were choked with traffic, giving rise to images of long queues of vehicles and widespread congestion. In some instances, drivers were slowed to crawl a mere 2 kilometers over the course of 30 minutes. Congestion was not confined to the roadways; Istanbul Airport also witnessed an extraordinary surge in passenger traffic as citizens hurried to return to work and school.