TEHRAN, April 2 (Mehr News Agency) -- The number of road accidents and casualties decreased remarkably during the Iranian New Year holidays (started March 21), National Police Chief Brigadier General Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam said in Tehran on Monday.

The death toll in road accidents decreased by 13 percent compared to the same period last year, Ahmadi-Moqaddam told reporters.

Last year, 735 people were killed in road accidents during the holiday season whereas 638 were killed in car crashes this year, he added.

"Car accidents decreased by 12 percent," he said.

Iran has the highest percentage of fatal road accidents in the world in relation to its population, with 30,000 deaths per year.

In comparison to the same period last year, there has also been a 4 percent decrease in murders, a 40 percent decrease in highway banditry, and a 43 percent decrease in bank robberies, the police chief stated.

... Payvand News - 4/3/07 ... --