4% of GDP Lost to Road Accidents

Road fatalities and injuries in Iran are estimated to cause economic losses constituting 4% of the country’s gross domestic product, the managing director of Road Safety Supporters Society, Nasser Razaqmanesh, said on Saturday. 
“Roads claimed 7,891 lives and injured 146,610 during the first half of the current Iranian year [started March 20], indicating a decrease of 15.7% and 25.1% year-on-year. These figures include driving violations, considering the fact that H1 road traffic was 20% less than last year’s corresponding period,” he was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency. 
Noting that pedestrians and motorcyclists account for 40% of total motor vehicle accidents, Razaqmanesh said, “Road casualties and fatalities will reduce only by improving public awareness concerning full compliance with traffic safety laws and employing smart measures and stricter safety oversight.”