2021 was the deadliest year for road safety in the last four years, according to a report released by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) on Thursday, which presents road safety statistics and compares them to the average statistics of the three previous years.
The report shows that in 2021, 361 people died as a result of fatal car accidents which is a rise of 11% from the three previous years in which an average of 326 people died each year. Out of those who died in 2021, 26% were driving private cars, 23% were pedestrians and 33% were riding motorcycles.
Motorcyclists have been significant victims over the last few years, but the percentage rises every year with 2021's 84 being a 43% rise from the average of the three previous years.
The number of young drivers (drivers under the age of 24) who died in car accidents also rose in 2021, with 56 being killed in car accidents which is a 42% rise from the average of the three previous years.
The number of car accidents on intercity roads rose by 18% while the number inside cities rose by only 2%.
The number of people who died in accidents on bicycles and scooters has remained steady.
As in previous years, a vast majority of fatal car crash victims were men (78%) compared to 21% person that were women.
2021's deadliest month was April in which 47 people died, the deadliest day was Friday and the deadliest hour was in the late afternoon.
"2021 was the deadliest year of the last four," said NRSA's Director-General Snir Zeidl. "361 people were killed in car accidents, which means that 361 families were destroyed as well as approximately 2,000 people who are severely injured every year and required a long recovery process.
"Israel must and can change the state of things by adopting and funding a nation multi-annual long-term plan that was put together by NRSA and the Transportation Ministry. We can be like many other countries in the world who succeeded in significantly reducing the severe car accidents.
"The fight against the slaughter in the roads required the cooperation of all the relevant bodies in the government and local rule together with the guarantee of all those on the road to safer behavior."