Seven dead, eight injured in major traffic collision on Basra’s Safwan-Al-Zubair road

BASRA — A severe traffic collision on Saturday afternoon claimed the lives of seven people and injured eight others on the road between Safwan and Al-Zubair in Basra province. The incident involved a van carrying 14 passengers and a large truck, resulting in fatalities that included two as-yet-unidentified victims.

The casualties and injured were brought to Al-Zubair Hospital around 4 p.m., according to a hospital medical source who spoke to 964media. “Some had already succumbed to their injuries due to the distance between the incident site and the hospital, while others died at the scene,” the source reported, noting that three of the injured are currently in intensive care.

“Authorities are working to identify the victims and are providing necessary medical care for the injured,” the source added. The victims, hailing from Hilla, were employed as truck drivers at Khor Al-Zubair Port in Basra.

Fatal traffic incidents remain a significant concern in Iraq, with 3,019 traffic-related deaths recorded in 2023. The Ministry of Planning attributed 79% of these fatalities to driver error. Additionally, 2023 saw 12,314 injuries from traffic incidents, slightly down from 12,677 in 2022. Most incidents were due to vehicle collisions, followed by pedestrian involvement and rollovers, with contributing factors including vehicle malfunctions, poor road conditions, and unsafe pedestrian behavior.