The number of fatalities involving riders of motorcycles with an engine size of more than 251cc last year was the largest ever recorded, according to government statistics released yesterday.
Last year, fatal road traffic accidents dropped by 7.4 percent from the previous year to 1,639, while the number of people killed decreased by 123 to 1,696, both hitting a new low, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said.
Although deaths involving motorcycle riders continued to account for the largest portion of the fatalities at 965 (56.9 percent), the number represented a decrease of 7.2 percent from the previous year, the ministry said.
Among the motorcycle riders who died in traffic accidents last year, 822 people (85.2 percent) were operating vehicles with an engine size of between 51cc and 250cc, down from 119 a year ago.
For motorcycles with an engine size of between 251cc and 550cc there were 26 fatalities, while there were 10 involving an engine size of more than 550cc, up from 12 and eight respectively the previous year.
The ministry did not explain the increase in deaths involving large-sized motorcycles, although it was likely due to the growth in the number of the larger and faster machines.
Last year, there were 89,042 motorcycles with an engine size larger than 251cc registered, an increase of 22,000, or nearly 33 percent, from the previous year.
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