Four killed, five injured in traffic incident on Kirkuk road

KIRKUK — Four people were killed and five others injured Saturday morning in a traffic incident on Al-Hawli road in Kirkuk involving an Opel vehicle and two cargo trucks, according to local traffic authorities.

Amer Nariman, head of media at Kirkuk Traffic Police, told 964media that the crash was caused by “excessive speed” on the part of the Opel driver, who collided with the two trucks, resulting in the car overturning.

The victims included students who happened to be in the area at the time of the crash. All the injured were transported to Azadi Hospital in Kirkuk.

In June, Iraq’s Ministry of Planning reported a 10% decrease in traffic fatalities in 2024 compared with the previous year. The annual report recorded 11,763 incidents across all governorates excluding the Kurdistan Region, including 2,103 fatal crashes that caused 2,719 deaths, down from 3,019 in 2023. Men accounted for 82% of fatalities, with 2,235 deaths.

Traffic accidents injured 11,896 people in 2024, a 3.4% decline from the previous year. Despite the decrease, officials say poor infrastructure, speeding, distracted driving, and weak enforcement remain major risks.