Hong Kong records 44% increase in fatal traffic accidents in first half of 2026

Hong Kong recorded a 44 per cent year-on-year increase in fatal traffic accidents in the first half of 2026, with many cases involving elderly victims and older drivers, police said, adding that they supported tighter health check requirements for motorists.

Police said on Wednesday that the city recorded 59 fatal traffic accidents in the first half of this year, up from 41 in the same period in 2025, while the number of fatalities rose from 43 to 63.

This rise in deaths stood in contrast to the number of accidents involving injuries, which fell 17 per cent to 7,341 cases, with the number of injured also down by 20 per cent to 9,055.

Of the 59 fatal accidents, 41 involved commercial vehicles, with 39 per cent of these vehicles operated by drivers aged 65 or older.

“The main cause of these accidents was inattentive driving, while some others were attributed to the drivers’ physical condition at the time of the accident,” said Senior Inspector Au Ngai-faat of the force’s road safety unit.

“With the population ageing, there will be more aged drivers. Police are supportive of the legislative amendment to tighten driver health check requirements.”

Authorities have proposed to the Legislative Council to reduce the age threshold for mandatory medical certification for commercial drivers from 70 to 65.