Strong increase in road fatalities this year

Two hundred and twenty-six persons lost their lives in traffic accidents in Norway in the first nine months of the year, preliminary figures show. This is 38 more fatalities compared to the same period last year and 11 more than the average for 1992-1996. September traffic accidents claimed 29 lives.

In September last year 24 persons were killed on the roads. The average for this month from 1992 to 1996 is 24 fatalities.

One hundred and ten of those killed so far this year were motorists, while 45 were passengers. Motorcycle accidents have claimed 26 lives, 16 more than last year and 15 more than the average for 1992-1996. Eleven of the motorcycle fatalities so far this year were between 25 and 30 years of age, seven were 20-24, five were 33-39, two were 17 and 18, and one was over 65. Other fatalities so far this year include nine moped drivers, nine cyclists, 18 pedestrians, three persons on sleds and six other road users. One child under age seven was killed in a traffic accident in September. So far this year 14 children under the age of 15 have been killed in traffic accidents. This is two fewer compared to January to September last year.

New Statistics

Road traffic accidents involving personal injury, September 1997.
Statistics are published every month in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and annually in the Official Statistics of Norway Road Traffic Accidents. More information: Aud-Marit Beck, tel. +47 62 88 54 20, e-mail: amb@ssb.no or Jan Monsrud, tel. +47 62 88 54 07, e-mail: jam@ssb.no.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 43, 1997