The number of people killed in road accidents in the past year across Iran is 16,500, according to Taghi Mehri, the head of National Road Traffic.
Mehri told Seda va Sima that the rate of fatal accidents across the country is three times the median in developing countries.
He said “speeding, drunk driving, careless driving and running red lights” are the chief causes of accidents, adding that 70 percent of fatal accidents are on intercity highways, while fatalities in cities mostly involve pedestrians.
Mehri also said the vehicles involved in the most accidents are the Pride make at 24 percent and motorcycles at 23 percent.
Road accidents are the third-highest cause of death in Iran after cardiovascular diseases and cancer.