China New Year traffic accidents kill over 1,100

BEIJING, Feb 26 (Reuters) Traffic accidents killed more than 1,100 people in China over the Lunar New Year holiday, but the figure was down by more than a third from 2006, the official Xinhua news agency said.

There were 3,558 traffic accidents during the week-long break, down more than half, and 4,624 injuries, Xinhua today said in a report, citing Ministry of Public Security figures.

Police attributed the declines to increased patrols over the holiday period and a public education drive in the media.

Fog blanketed Beijing and parts of north China on Monday, risking further accidents, Xinhua said. A van crashed into a truck in heavy fog in central Hubei province on Sunday killing eight people, the report said.

China again topped the world list of road deaths and accidents last year, with nearly 99,000 people killed in 450,000 accidents in the most populous country on the planet.

China's roads have long been dangerous, largely a result of drivers who switch lanes without signalling, ignore traffic lights, speed down the wrong side of the road or even throw their vehicles into reverse when they have missed a highway exit.

Some 227 million people travelled by road over the new year break, when Chinese traditionally return to their home provinces.

Almost 63 million people hit the road on Sunday alone, Xinhua said.

REUTERS SBA RN0717