The number of reported traffic accidents during the fourth quarter of 2022 reached 3,816, up by 3.2 per cent over the same period in 2021. The Northern Harbour district registered the most accidents with 1,297 cases or 34.0 per cent of all accidents (Table 1). Road traffic casualties increased by 0.5 per cent to 381 over the same period in 2021. Grievously injured persons amounted to 84, and consisted of 52 drivers, 5 passengers and 27 pedestrians/cyclists/others. The injuries suffered by three drivers and four pedestrians proved fatal (Tables 4 – 6). During this quarter, two more fatalities occurred when compared to the same period in 2021 (Chart 1). The majority of those grievously injured were males (73.8 per cent). Moreover, five of the fatalities that occurred during this quarter involved males while the two other fatalities involved females. 34.9 per cent of the casualties involved persons in the 26 to 40 age-bracket (Table 5).
Chart 1. Road traffic accidents and fatalities by period
No Data Found
The largest number of road traffic casualties (54.9 per cent) involved passenger cars, followed by motorcycles (32.0 per cent) and goods-carrying vehicles (7.3 per cent). The seven fatalities included two drivers colliding vehicle with vehicle, a vehicle crashing into a property killing the driver and four pedestrians being hit by a vehicle. Cyclists involved in traffic accidents amounted to 11, where two suffered insignificant injuries, five suffered slight injuries and four suffered grievous injuries (Tables 6-7). Road traffic casualties resulting from accidents between vehicles topped the list with 67.5 per cent of all road traffic casualties (Table 7).
The highest number of road traffic casualties occurred on Wednesdays with 72 casualties, and the highest number of road traffic accidents also occurred on Wednesdays with 614 cases or 16.1 per cent of the total (Table 8). The time bracket during which most road traffic accidents occurred was 09:00 – 11:59 with 853 cases or 22.4 per cent of the total, followed by the 12:00 – 14:59 time bracket with 850 cases. The least number of accidents occurring daily took place between 03:00 – 05:59 with 62 cases (Table 9).
The highest incidence of road traffic accidents was registered in Birkirkara with 246 cases, followed by Ħal Qormi and Il-Mosta, with 201 and 193 cases respectively (Table 10, Map 1 and Chart 5).
L-Imtarfa, Il-Munxar, Ta’ Kerċem, San Lawrenz and L-Għasri registered less than five road traffic accidents while IlFontana did not register any road traffic accidents (Map 1 and Table 10).
Map 1. Road traffic accidents by locality: October-December 2022
The Northern Harbour and Northern districts recorded a decrease in road traffic accidents, while the other districts recorded increases in road traffic accidents, when compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year. The Southern Harbour district registered the highest percentage increase in road traffic accidents at 16.9 per cent, followed by the South Eastern district at 11.7 per cent (Table 1 and Map 2).
Map 2. Percentage change in road traffic accidents by district: October-December 2022/2021
Note: In the Northern district, percentage decrease in road traffic accidents was negligible.
Annual Perspective
The number of fatalities during 2022 reached 28, up by 19 when compared to the previous year. In 2022, 1,341 injury accidents were reported, a 5.2 per cent increase (66 accidents) when compared to 2021. Moreover, 14,372 non-injury accidents were reported, an 11.8 per cent increase (1,512 accidents) when compared to the previous year (Tables 2-3). The second quarter of 2022 recorded the highest number of accidents (4,240) while the first quarter of 2022 recorded the highest number of fatalities (9) (Chart 1).
Additional Tables and Charts
Chart 2. Road traffic casualties by age group and gender: October-December 2022
No Data Found
Chart 3. Percentage distribution of road traffic casualties by day of the week
October-December 2022
No Data Found
Note: Totals may not add up due to rounding
Chart 4. Road traffic accidents by time bracket and day of the week
October-December 2022
No Data Found
Chart 5. Top 10 localities for road traffic accidents
October-December 2022
No Data Found
Methodological Notes
2. Definitions:
a. Total road traffic accidents consist of the road traffic accidents involving casualties (Police reports) and the minor road traffic accidents without casualties (Police and Warden reports).
b. Non-injury (minor) road traffic accidents refer to accidents assessed by Wardens and/or the Police involving at least one vehicle and in which no persons are injured. Non-injury road traffic accidents which are either not reported or directly reported to Insurance Agencies by means of the Traffic Accident Form (i.e. where no Police or Wardens are called on the accident scene and are settled by the completion of the relevant form) are not accounted for.
c. Insignificant injury is determined by the Police as the sustaining of a very minimal injury (e.g. bruise, scratch, etc.) or shock due to accident which, in most cases, requires very basic treatment or no treatment at all.
d. The definition of slight injury is as listed in Art. 221 et sequitur of the Criminal Code, Chapter 9 of the Laws of Malta.
e. The definition of grievous injury is as listed in Art. 216 et sequitur of the Criminal Code, Chapter 9 of the Laws of Malta.
f. UNECE defines road fatal injury as: “Any person who was killed outright or who died within 30 days as a result of the accident”.
3. The casualty-to-accident ratio indicates the risk level of suffering an injury in an accident. Therefore, a higher percentage rate means that the corresponding accidents were more serious (i.e. more persons were injured).
4. Data is subject to revision.
5. More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
Sources and Methods
Statistical Concepts
LAU Classification
NUTS Classification
6. References to this news release are to be cited appropriately.
7. Statistics in this News Release should be interpreted in the context of the COVID-19 situation.
8. A detailed news release calendar is available online.
- During the fourth quarter of 2022, there were seven road traffic fatalities, involving five males and two females
- During Q4_2022, road traffic accidents and casualties increased by 3.2 and 0.5 per cent respectively when compared to the same period in 2021
- In Q4_2022, the highest number of road traffic accidents occurred on Wednesdays with 614 cases or 16.1 per cent of the total
- Birkirkara registered the highest number of road traffic accidents at 246 cases
Map 1. Graphical Illustration of MALTA by Police Region Classification (as at June 2022)
Districts classification
Southern Harbour
Bormla; Il-Fgura; Il-Furjana; Ħal Luqa; Ħaż-Żabbar; Il-Kalkara; Il-Marsa; Raħal Ġdid; Santa Luċija; L-Isla; Ħal Tarxien; Valletta; Il-Birgu; Ix-Xgħajra.
Northern Harbour Birkirkara; Il-Gżira; Ħal Qormi; Il-Ħamrun; L-Imsida; Pembroke; San Ġwann; Santa Venera; San Ġiljan; Is-Swieqi; Ta’ Xbiex; Tal-Pietà; Tas-Sliema.
South Eastern
Birżebbuġa; Il-Gudja; Ħal Għaxaq; Ħal Kirkop; Ħal Safi; Marsaskala; Marsaxlokk; L-Imqabba; Il-Qrendi; Iz-Żejtun; iz-Żurrieq.
Western
Ħad-Dingli; Ħal Balzan; Ħal Lija; Ħ’Attard; Ħaż-Żebbuġ; L-Iklin; L-Imdina; L-Imtarfa; Ir-Rabat; Is-Siġġiewi.
Northern
Ħal Għargħur; Il-Mellieħa; L-Imġarr; Il-Mosta; In-Naxxar; San Pawl Il-Baħar.
Gozo and Comino
Il-Fontana; Għajnsielem and Comino; L-Għarb; L-Għasri; Il-Munxar; In-Nadur; Il-Qala; San Lawrenz; Ta’ Kerċem; Ta’ Sannat; Ir-Rabat; Ix-Xagħra; Ix-Xewkija; Iż-Żebbuġ.
Graphical Illustration of MALTA by LAU2 Classification
| Key | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valletta | 18 | Il-Furjana | 35 | Marsaskala | 52 | San Ġiljan |
| 2 | L-Imdina | 19 | Il-Fontana | 36 | Marsaxlokk | 53 | San Ġwann |
| 3 | Il-Birgu | 20 | Il-Gudja | 37 | Il-Mellieħa | 54 | San Lawrenz |
| 4 | L-Isla | 21 | Il-Gżira | 38 | L-Imġarr | 55 | San Pawl Il-Baħar |
| 5 | Bormla | 22 | Għajnsielem and Comino | 39 | Il-Mosta | 56 | Ta' Sannat |
| 6 | Ħal Qormi | 23 | L-Għarb | 40 | L-Imqabba | 57 | Santa Luċija |
| 7 | Ħaż-Żebbuġ | 24 | Ħal Għargħur | 41 | L-Imsida | 58 | Santa Venera |
| 8 | Ħaż-Żabbar | 25 | L-Għasri | 42 | Il-Munxar | 59 | Tas-Sliema |
| 9 | Is-Siġġiewi | 26 | Ħal Għaxaq | 43 | In-Nadur | 60 | Is-Swieqi |
| 10 | Iż-Żejtun | 27 | Il-Ħamrun | 44 | In-Naxxar | 61 | Ta' Xbiex |
| 11 | Ir-Rabat, Għawdex | 28 | L-Iklin | 45 | Raħal Ġdid | 62 | Ħal Tarxien |
| 12 | Ħ'Attard | 29 | Il-Kalkara | 46 | Pembroke | 63 | Ix-Xagħra |
| 13 | Ħal Balzan | 30 | Ta' Kerċem | 47 | Tal-Pieta' | 64 | Ix-Xewkija |
| 14 | Birkirkara | 31 | Ħal Kirkop | 48 | Il-Qala | 65 | Ix-Xgħajra |
| 15 | Birżebbuġa | 32 | Ħal Lija | 49 | Il-Qrendi | 66 | Iż-Żebbuġ, Għawdex |
| 16 | Ħad-Dingli | 33 | Ħal Luqa | 50 | Ir-Rabat, Malta | 67 | Iż-Żurrieq |
| 17 | Il-Fgura | 34 | Il-Marsa | 51 | Ħal Safi | 68 | L-Imtarfa |
