Seventeen more people were killed on the nation’s roads as at Friday, September 26 when compared to the similar nine-month period in 2024 according to the Island Traffic Authority (ITA).

The ITA, in its latest daily statistics released on Friday, shared that 289 people have been killed in 253 fatal crashes since the start of the year. It said fatalities increased by six per cent or 17 more deaths, when compared to prior year, while fatal crashes increased by nine per cent.

The increase in the death toll is largely driven by the huge spike in fatal crashes involving private motor car drivers and their passengers, pedal cyclists and pillion passengers.

As at Friday, 67 drivers of private motor cars had been killed; this compares to 48 in the similar period in 2024. At the same time, 47 private motor car passengers died this year compared to 32 last year.

The ITA is also reporting that nine pillion passengers died during the first nine months of 2024, this has risen to 14 in 2025. And pedal cyclists saw a sharp increase in fatalities among their ranks; 21 have been killed so far this year compared to 12 in 2024.

Of note is that motorcyclists have seen a reduction in fatalities among their ranks; 90 were killed in 2024 compared to 82 so far this year. Nonetheless, this group of road users accounts for 28 per cent of all road fatalities since the start of the year. Private motor vehicle drivers account for 20 per cent with their passengers accounting for 16 per cent.

With 52 deaths this year, pedestrians account for 18 per cent of the overall fatalities.

Vulnerable road users – pedestrians, pedal cyclists, motorcyclists and pillion passengers) account for 58 per cent of the fatalities since the start of the year.

Meanwhile, males account for 84 per cent and females account for 16 per cent of fatalities since the start of the year.