Ramadan mayhem as 62 die in road crashes

Traffic crashes left 62 people dead and over 536 injured marred this year’s Turkish Ramadan Feast in recorded 136 incidents in a six-day period across the country, local media outlets reported on Thursday.

The figures were released by the Turkish Interior Ministry for the time period between last Friday and Thursday.

The Ramadan Feast which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, normally sees hundreds of thousands of people travel to popular holiday destinations or to their hometowns to celebrate with their relatives.

Prior to the nine-day public holiday, the ministry reportedly took precautions in a bid to prevent road accidents that result in death tolls during all long holidays in the country.

The ministry deployed about 200,000 traffic crews notably on busy roads, for traffic controls against reckless drivers and vehicles violating road safety. They also deployed drones and helicopters in congested spots and highways.

The ministry also launched an awareness campaign to motivate children to warn their parents of careful driving.

“For the Feast, not [to] turn into sadness and for death tolls which put all of us as society in intense sorrow not to occur, we ask our citizens not only to abide by all traffic precautions but also to plan their return journeys,” the ministry said in a statement prior to the Ramadan Feast.

The ministry also advised motorists not to use their vehicles when tired and feeling sleepy, not to speed.

The number of holidaymakers traveling during the Ramadan holiday is estimated to be over five million, according to Osman Ayik, head of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TUROFED).

Source: ipa