Road traffic deaths have now passed the 200-mark this year, reaching 202 as at Friday, July 5.

This is according to the Island Traffic Authority’s Road Safety Unit (RSU) in its latest weekly bulletin released on Friday.

Of note is that despite passing 200 road deaths this year, fatalities are down eight per cent, representing 17 fewer deaths when compared to the corresponding period in 2023.

Three fatalities were recorded during the course of the last week – a pedestrian, a motorcyclist and one passenger of a private motor car.

The RSU said the 202 fatalities on record as at July 5 resulted from 175 fatal crashes. Significantly, fatal crashes are down 13 per cent.

Meanwhile, the RSU is also reporting that 65 motorcyclists have been killed in crashes this year compared to 69 for the corresponding period in 2023.

Thirty-nine pedestrians have been killed in 2024, compared to 49 in 2023 and 34 drivers of private motor cars have been killed this year, compared to 33 in 2023. Additionally, 22 passengers of private motor cars have been killed this year, compared to 18 last year.

The RSU said excessive speed with no regard to road conditions was responsible for 48 road deaths this year, almost identical to the 46 who perished during the same period in 2023.

Failure on the part of road users to keep to the near side or proper traffic lane resulted in 38 deaths; this is six fewer than the 44 who died last year.

And 18 deaths recorded so far this year, were caused by pedestrians who walked/stood in the road. Fourteen died under similar circumstances in 2023.

To date, males and females account for 86 per cent and 14 per cent respectively of the road fatalities as of July 5, 2024.