Elderly pedestrian killed in crash on Kalar-Kifri road

SULAYMANIYAH — A 95-year-old man died Monday after being struck by a private vehicle on the Kalar-Kifri road near Hamrin neighborhood, according to Garmian traffic police.

Saman Ali, spokesperson for Garmian Traffic, said the accident occurred around 11 a.m. “The driver transported the man to hospital himself, but due to the severity of his injuries, he passed away,” Ali told 964media. He said police have opened an investigation and the driver has been detained.

Traffic-related deaths remain a major concern in Sulaymaniyah. Officials recorded 111 fatalities in the first half of 2024. The Sulaymaniyah Traffic Directorate registered 1,047 accidents in 2023, leaving 153 people dead and 1,887 injured.

Nationwide figures from Iraq’s Ministry of Planning show a 10% decline in traffic deaths in 2024 compared with 2023, with 11,763 accidents outside the Kurdistan Region causing 2,719 fatalities, down from 3,019 the year before. Men accounted for 82% of those deaths.

Despite the decrease, authorities say speeding, poor infrastructure, distracted driving, and weak enforcement remain key causes of deadly accidents.