Cyprus’ roads have claimed 11 lives since January, with four fatal crashes in just 48 hours ahead of Easter. The latest victims, including a young speeder, a pedestrian, and two working men, highlight the island’s worsening road safety crisis that has seen fatalities surge by 22 per cent year-on-year.
The grim milestone was reached after a devastating series of overnight collisions across multiple districts. The latest victim, Yasir Shah, a 34-year-old delivery rider, was struck at Limassol’s busy Omonia and Paphos streets junction by a driver who later tested positive for cocaine and cannabis. Forensic analysis of the victim’s shattered helmet revealed the horrific force of the impact.
The youngest victim, 23-year-old Angelos Adamou, died in a high-speed motorcycle crash on Griva Digenis avenue. Investigators found 100-meter skid marks indicating he was travelling at 140 km/h before hitting a bus shelter in the early hours of Maundy Thursday.
In Oroklini, 57-year-old mechanic Petros Christodoulou became another road victim of 2025 when a British tourist in a rental car allegedly forgot Cyprus’s left-hand traffic system and veered into his path. The father-of-three died at Larnaca General Hospital within the hour.
Retired teacher Michalis Christoforou, 69, became a fatality when he was hit at a marked crossing near Nicosia general hospital. Security footage shows the pensioner raising his arms in vain as a speeding motorcycle struck him at nearly double the 50 km/h limit.
These latest tragedies follow a disturbing trend that saw 41 road deaths in 2024, up from 34 the previous year. Data revealed nearly 40 per cent of fatal crashes involved mobile phone distraction, while speeding accounts for 29 per cent and impaired driving for 17 per cent.
Despite installing advanced traffic monitoring systems, authorities admit critical enforcement gaps remain.
The revelation that 143,447 of 257,906 traffic fines went unpaid last year, with rental car users and diplomats among the worst offenders, has sparked public outrage.
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