…and 1675 Survivors! 

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in” 

L. Cohen

According to National Statistics Office (NSO) in Malta, and their report released in February 2019, the total number of road traffic accidents reported in 2018 amounted to 14,378, down by 4.2 per cent when compared to 2017.

Although decrease sounds positive, the numbers are still shocking to me.

39 accidents daily are not a joke!

I must admit I got quite gutted by those results. NSO report shed some light on where the accidents happened, how many injuries and deaths occurred during that time. Here are some snippets from Q4 of 2018 derived from this report and my observations on the end.

Localities of Most Accidents

The Northern Harbour district registered the highest number of road traffic accidents with 1,305 cases or 37.2 per cent of the total.

The highest number of road traffic accidents was registered in Birkirkara with 354 cases.

Marsa and Ħal Qormi were next in the list with 186 and 173 reported accidents respectively.

Times of a Day

The highest road traffic casualty rate occurred on Thursdays.

The time bracket during which most road traffic accidents occurred was between 09:00-11:59 with 775 cases followed closely by the 12:00-14:59 time bracket with 742 cases. The least number of accidents occurring daily took place between 00:00 and 02:59 (85 cases).

Cars, motorbikes or tracks?

The largest number of road traffic casualties (59.3 per cent) involved passenger cars, followed by motorcycles (29.9 per cent) and goods-carrying vehicles (6.7 per cent). A total of four cyclists were hit by passenger cars, one of whom suffered grievous injuries while the rest suffered slight/insignificant injuries. Another cyclist was hit by a goods-carrying vehicle and suffered slight injuries.

Gender and Age

When classified by gender, grievously-injured persons totalled 80, the majority of whom were males (65.0 per cent). The fatalities comprised of two males while the majority of casualties fell in the 26 to 40 age-bracket.

Number of Survivors

Road traffic survivors decreased by 8.4 per cent to 371 in Q4 when compared to the same period in 2017. Grievously injured persons consisted of 40 drivers, 16 passengers, 23 pedestrians and one cyclist.

There were 1675 survivors in total in 2018.

Deaths Resulted by Road Accident in 2018

The total number of road traffic fatalities during 2018 amounted to 18, one fatality less than those recorded during 2017.

I believe those fatality figures are obscuring the real impact of road accidents, because when you think of those who survived, like those 1675 people in 2018 (including myself!), it is a completely different level of magnitude.

Those people suffered all sorts of injuries, from minor to grievous, from traumatic to slight. Fractured ribs, hips, legs, arms, some amputations, broken hearts, wrecked mobility. Even if they survived, the injuries obstructed their lives from minor to larger degrees, I know it for sure, I am one of them.  I wonder if they have any support, I wonder what’s happening with and to them now. I wonder how they cope…can they walk, work, drive, can they already smile?

It’s been a year since my accident and I am still not walking. BUT I am stronger, I have more energy and more vital life is flowing through my veins again. Grief and depression are getting smaller giving some space to more light in my life. Smile comes back on my face more often. I am able to work, and I am 100% ready to be here for you my fellow survivors. 

If you want to become a part of community of hope and mutual support, join us, we can make the journey of recovery together.

Love,

Kasia

Reference:

Road Traffic Accidents Statistics by NSO

https://nso.gov.mt/en/News_Releases/View_by_Unit/Unit_B3/Environment_Energy_Transport_and_Agriculture_Statistics/Documents/2019/News2019_029.pdf