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Cyprus police recorded more than 3,000 traffic violations across the island over the past week, according to official figures released Monday, a troubling statistic that underscores the country’s continuing struggle with road safety.
The violations, logged during routine checks, included 841 cases of speeding, 294 instances of drivers using mobile phones behind the wheel, and 198 cases of motorists not wearing seatbelts. Police also cited 22 motorcyclists for failing to wear protective helmets, 47 drivers for operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol, and 125 for illegal parking.
In addition, 37 motorists were fined for parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities. The remaining citations involved a range of other traffic offenses detected during inspections.
Police officials stressed that the checks are intended not as punitive measures but as part of ongoing efforts to curb serious and fatal road accidents. “These systematic controls are aimed at preventing collisions and fostering a culture of road responsibility,” the announcement said.
The report comes amid a particularly grim weekend for road safety. Two people were killed in separate accidents in the Nicosia district, both occurring within hours of each other on Saturday.
In the first incident, around 1 p.m. on Grigori Afxentiou Street in Agia Varvara, Andriana Lefteri, a passenger in one of the vehicles involved, died following a head-on collision. The circumstances remain under investigation.
Roughly an hour later, a second fatal crash took place on Grigori Afxentiou Street in Pera Oreinis. Police said a 19-year-old driver struck and fatally injured Dimitrios Skoufaris, who appeared to have been crossing the road at the time.
Authorities renewed their appeal for motorists to obey traffic regulations and exercise caution, emphasizing that each violation carries the risk of irreversible loss. “Responsible driving saves lives,” the police statement concluded.
With information from 24news.
