The number of people killed in motor vehicle crashes since the start of the year now stands at 207.

The 200-mark was breached following several multiple fatality crashes on the weekend including the deaths of three alleged gunmen who crashed the Nissan Latio motorcar in which they were travelling into a a tour bus as they tried to elude the police at a checkpoint in Hanover.

The 207 fatalities recorded so far this year resulted from 182 fatal crashes according to the latest statistics released on Monday by the Road Safety Unit (RSU) which is located in the Ministry of Transport and Mining.

Fatalities have decreased by one per cent and fatal crashes are down three per cent when compared with the similar period in 2021, the RSU said.

However, while the projection at the start of the year was that fatalities would decrease by eight per cent, the RSU said that based on the trend so far it has been forced to revise this figure and now anticipates a six per cent reduction instead.

Meanwhile, 20 per cent of those killed in motor vehicle crashes this year are pedestrians.

A further breakdown of the statistics shows the following:

– Drivers of private motor vehicles account for 23 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

– Passengers of private motor vehicles account for 13 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

– Motorcyclists account for 28 per cent of all road fatalities

– Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, pedalcyclists, motorcyclists and pillion riders) account for 56 per cent of the road users killed since January 1.