CYPRUS: Police campaign clamps down on killer speeds

As Cypriots change gear into holiday mode, Cyprus police announced on Monday they are conducting their seventh islandwide campaign this year against speeding.

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The campaign is part of a concerted police effort to combat a record increase in road-related deaths. The anti-speed campaign starts Monday 6 through till Sunday 12 August.

Speeding is one of the main causes of serious and fatal traffic accidents, said a police announcement.

According to the announcement, during the five-year period 2013-2017, speeding was the third leading cause of deadly road accidents. That is 12.77% of fatal road accidents were speed related over this period, while the figure rose to 16.33% last year.

Police data indicates that 2017 saw an increase of 15% in the number of people who lost their lives on the island’s roads, reaching 53 from 46 in 2016, while this year is expected to that figure surpassed, if measures are not taken.

Until 1 August this year 29 people lost their lives in road accidents, five more than in the same period of 2017.

Cyprus Police’s campaign is conducted in cooperation with the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL) and is part of a Pan-European campaign against speeding.