DILI, 08 january 2025 (TATOLI) – According to the data of the Timorese National Police (PNTL), 2.218 accidents involving personal injury happened in road traffic in 2024. In them, 117 were killed, 465 suffered serious injuries and 1,636 had minor injuries.
The Head of the National Road Safety Department of PNTL, Assistant Superintendent, Luis da Costa said that the number of deaths and injuries was much higher than the previous year.
He explained that the number of fatalities was 31 higher, the number of persons with serious injuries was 65 higher, and the number of people with minor injuries was 158 higher than in 2023. The data were compared with the previous year’s data.
Costa said that PNTL sent 1,103 cases to the Public Prosecutor’s Office after concluding the investigation. Meanwhile, 1,115 cases were settled between the parties involved in the accidents.
“In order to prevent and reduce road accidents in the country, PNTL, through the National Road Safety Department, continues to disseminate information about the Basic Law on Road Transport to schools in the municipalities and Dili,” Costa told reporters at the PNTL’s Headquarters, in Dili, on tuesday.
He urged drivers to respect the traffic signs to help keep the roads safe and prevent fatalities.
Costa revealed that last year PNTL’s traffic fines and fees amounted to more than US$700,000.
In 2024, PNTL seized more than 16,700 private vehicles and more than 1,600 public transports. The majority of these vehicles were seized due to lack of vehicle ownership documents, lack of a driver’s license, and traffic violations. In addition, PNTL also seized 121 state vehicles for non-official purposes.
TATOLI
