A total of 35 people were killed with 202 injured in traffic accidents on Myanmar’s Yangon-Mandalay highway in the first half year, state-run media quoted Highway Police’s figures as saying on Sunday.

From January to June this year, there were a total of 183 road accidents reported on Myanmar’s busiest highway, where March was recorded with the highest numbers of casualties, registering nine deaths and 48 injured in 36 traffic accidents.

The highway accidents were mostly caused by human error such as over-speeding, negligent driving, drowsy driving and others.

There were a total of 524 road accidents on Yangon-Mandalay highway, killing 108 and injuring 1,019 others in 2019.

The highway police force is urging people to follow the traffic laws and cooperate with traffic police in carrying out road safety measures.

The highway authorities have increased the number of road safety police stations, providing 24-hour services for travellers since 2012 so as to enhance better traffic safety along the highway.

The 587-km long highway, connecting the country’s commercial city Yangon and the second largest city of Mandalay, was opened to lessen the travel time between the two cities in December 2010.

(Xinhua/NAN)

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Accident scene on Yangon-Mandalay highway, Myanmar