Sulaymaniyah restricts truck entry during school hours to ease congestion

SULAYMANIYAH — The city’s traffic directorate said Wednesday it will restrict heavy trucks from entering Sulaymaniyah during school days starting Sept. 21, citing efforts to reduce congestion and ensure safer commutes for students and teachers.

The order bans trucks from passing through checkpoints between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m., except on Fridays.

Officials said the measure is meant to ease traffic jams and prevent delays for school transport. Enforcement will be carried out by checkpoint patrols and by both the eastern and western traffic directorates.

The directorate warned that violators will face legal action and urged drivers to reduce speed and stay cautious of children and pedestrians.

Traffic accidents remain a pressing concern in the city. Officials recorded 111 deaths in the first half of 2024. The directorate logged 1,047 accidents in 2023, leaving 153 dead and 1,887 injured.

Nationwide, Iraq’s Ministry of Planning reported a 10% decline in traffic fatalities in 2024 compared with the previous year. Its annual report listed 11,763 accidents in governorates outside the Kurdistan Region, including 2,103 fatal crashes that killed 2,719 people, down from 3,019 in 2023. Men accounted for 82% of those fatalities.

Despite the decline, officials say speeding, poor infrastructure, distracted driving, and weak enforcement remain major causes of deadly accidents.