The Ministry of Public Works and Transport yesterday said the number of traffic accidents fell in February compared to both the month prior and the same period a year ago, though accidents still cost too many lives each month, an official said yesterday.

According to a ministry report, last month saw 284 traffic accidents, in which 140 people died and 418 were injured. The figures mark a decrease from January, which saw 337 accidents – with 169 fatalities and 502 injured – as well as a decrease from February last year, which saw 350 accidents – with 174 deaths and 540 injured.

However, the stats do not differ greatly from the monthly average in 2016 – 278 accidents with 131 fatalities – when a revamped Traffic Law went into effect. They are down slightly from 2015, which saw an average of 315 accidents and 152 fatalities a month.

Min Manvy, secretary of state with the ministry, said despite decreasing numbers, accidents still caused too many deaths and injuries. “All officials will continue to work hard to reduce the number of traffic accidents,” she said.

She said the accidents were mostly caused by speeding (33 percent) and drunk driving (11 percent), and added that the police fined about 37,600 vehicle owners for violations, collecting almost $217,600.

But Ear Chariya, of the Road Safety Institute, said that “there is still a lot of room for improvement”, and urged the frequent use mobile speed cameras.

Additional reporting by Leonie Kijewski