Car accident in downtown Erbil kills four, wounds two
Four people were killed, including a baby, in an accident in downtown Erbil on Thursday night. Two others were injured, one who lost a leg, according to a statement on Friday by Erbil's General Directorate of Traffic Services.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Four people were killed, including a baby, in an accident in downtown Erbil on Thursday night. Two others were injured, one who lost a leg, according to a statement on Friday by Erbil's General Directorate of Traffic Services.
The incident occurred on the Shorsh Bridge in central Erbil, said the directorate's spokesman in the statement.
Videos filmed by witnesses and posted on social media show a grizzly scene of flaming wreckage and a man face down with one of his legs missing below the knee, still conscious.
The spokesman reported that alcohol consumption is suspected to have been a factor, but did not say whether it was the driver of that car or another that caused the accident.
689 people were killed in vehicle-related incidents the Kurdistan Region in 2017, and 249 more injured, according to figures released by the traffic directorate in January. The year before, 817 people were killed and another 1,188 wounded.
A total of 1,498,155 traffic violations were logged for 2017, and 4,410 car accidents. Reckless driving is considered to be the main security risk in the region.
While drivers complain about the quality of roads, traffic police say that speeding remains the leading cause of accidents.