The month of August, known for its peak tourist activity in Albania, has apparently seen a surge in the number of accidents.

Statistics from the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) reveal a 7.3% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

“In August 2023, there were 117 recorded road accidents, up from 109 that occurred in August 2022. This marks a 7.3% increase. The total number of casualties (both fatalities and injuries) has risen to 180 individuals, compared to 152 in August 2022,” reports INSTAT.

According to the data, road accidents were predominantly caused by driver behavior, accounting for 96.6% of cases. Furthermore, the highest number of accidents during this period was reported among individuals aged 35-44, making up 22.2% of the total accident count.

“Accidents within this age group have surged by 30.0% compared to the same period last year. Notably, the highest number of road accidents in August 2023 occurred on Mondays, witnessing a 17.9% increase, whereas the lowest count happened on Sundays, showing a 10.3% decrease.

In August 2023, 23.9% of road accidents transpired between 19:00 and 24:00.

For the first eight months of 2023, there were 770 road accidents, compared to 795 accidents during the same period the previous year. This marks a 3.1% decrease.

The number of casualties stands at 1,067 individuals, down from 1,123 individuals injured during the same period in the previous year.

Pedestrian behavior was responsible for 12.2% of road accidents. The number of accidents attributed to pedestrian behavior for the eight-month period has decreased by 5.1%,” as per INSTAT’s assessment.