Traffic accidents in Turkey rose sharply during the four-day holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, with passenger cars involved in the majority of accidents and drivers speeding as the main cause, according to data released by the Interior Ministry on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the Turkish Interior Ministry and reported by the DHA news agency, during the four days of Eid al-Fitr (in Turkish Ramazan Bayramı or ‘Feast of Ramadan’) a total of 2,753 road accidents were recorded across the country in which 31 people lost their lives: eight on the first day of the holiday, 12 on the second day, four on the third day and seven on the fourth day. In the same accidents, 4,861 people were injured, according to the official balance sheet based on data compiled by the General Directorate of Security and the General Command of the Gendarmerie.
Comparing road safety data for the 4-day holidays during the Eid al-Fitr of 2023 with those of 2026, the Turkish Ministry of Interior highlighted a higher level of driver compliance with traffic rules, which contributed to a decrease in the number of fatal accidents from 38 to 23, a reduction of 39.5%, while the total number of fatalities at the scene of the accident decreased from 44 to 31, a decrease of 29.5%. In the same comparison, injury accidents fell from 3,085 to 2,730, and the total number of injured from 5,594 to 4,861, while the average daily number of road deaths fell from 11 to 7.75, a decrease of 29.5%.
“Our goal is to reduce road fatalities to zero by enforcing the rules and warning those who do not comply with them. Research has again shown us that the main cause of these accidents and loss of life is speeding. I urge you to adhere strictly to the traffic rules so that you can be reunited with your loved ones safely and so that you do not have tragic memories of the roads. Please respect speed limits, always wear seat belts in both front and back seats, and avoid any behaviour that puts road safety at risk,” said Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi.
According to additional data published by the Turkish portal TRT Haber, fatalities in accidents during Eid al-Fitr in Turkey were particularly concentrated in several key provinces, with Istanbul accounting for five deaths; Giresun and Nevşehir recorded three fatalities each, while Bursa, Eskişehir, Konya, Adana, Mersin, Muğla, Isparta and Tokat had two fatalities each, and Kastamonu, Sakarya, Yozgat and Denizli recorded one fatality in road accidents. Accidents occurred most frequently between 14:00 and 20:00, when 41.5% of accidents were recorded, although road fatalities were mainly concentrated in the early morning, with 41.9% of fatalities occurring between 00:00 and 08:00.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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