Traffic in Cyprus has become twice as safe in terms of the number of deaths in traffic accidents. According to traffic safety expert Andreas Papas, while 945 people were victims of accidents in the country from 2000 to 2009, from 2010 to 2019 there were only 545 deaths – almost half as many.

So far in 2020, 45 people have been killed in traffic accidents (in 2019, the full year total was 48). According to Papas, the numbers may still equalize by the end of December. The expert noted that even during a strict quarantine, three Cypriots have died in traffic accidents.

Of the 45 dead this year, 12 were pedestrians – as Papas stressed, such accidents are not always the fault of the drivers. He advised pedestrians to be especially careful at night and try to be visible on the road. In the 15 fatal accidents this year, there was only one participant at all – the drivers either failed to keep control or overturned their car. Half of the victims neglected their seat belts, and of the 11 motorcyclists, six were without helmets.

Andreas Papas is pinning his hopes on surveillance cameras, which will soon appear on Cypriot roads. “With cameras, people automatically become more cautious – for their own sake,” the expert explained.