Taliban traffic department in Balkh

Around 300 Killed and Injured in Traffic Accidents in Balkh Over 10 Months

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban authorities in northern Balkh province reported that around 123 people were killed and 177 others injured in 124 traffic accidents over the past 10 months.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Taliban’s Traffic Department in Balkh indicated that most of the accidents occurred on major highways, including the Balkh-Jowzjan, Balkh-Samangan, and Mazar-e-Sharif-Hairatan routes.

The department attributed the rise in traffic incidents to factors such as excessive speeding, lack of driver awareness of traffic regulations, narrow roads, absence of traffic signs, and the use of unregistered and Pakistan-assembled vehicles.

Traffic accidents continue to be a significant challenge in Afghanistan, claiming hundreds of lives each year. Poor road conditions, driver negligence, and noncompliance with traffic regulations are some of the leading causes.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, traffic accidents have risen sharply. A report by Etilaat Roz last year revealed a fivefold increase in such incidents during this period.

The report, based on the Taliban data, showed a significant increase in the number of accidents over the past three years. In the solar year 1400 (March 2021 to March 2022), there were 1,187 incidents, which surged to 2,662 in the following year. The total reached at least 5,520 traffic accidents in 1402 (March 2023 to March 2024), marking a 78.5% increase over the two-year period.

While the Taliban authorities did not provide the total number of casualties during this period, an analysis by Etilaat Roz of 692 accidents from March 2022 to October 2024 found that 1,524 people were killed and 3,319 others injured.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), although Afghanistan has a national speed limit law, enforcement is lax. The country also lacks laws regulating seatbelt use, mobile phone use while driving, and the requirements for obtaining a driving license.

The WHO estimates that over 4,700 people die in road traffic accidents annually in Afghanistan, with road traffic injuries being the leading cause of death among women, children, and young adults.