Tunisia's Kairouan leads nation in deadly road accidents

The Kairouan governorate in Tunisia has registered the highest road accident severity index nationally during the first five months of 2026. Data from the National Road Safety Observatory (ONSR) indicates a 59% rate of fatalities per 100 accidents.

Road accidents in Kairouan surged by nearly 30% compared to the same period last year. A total of 87 accidents occurred between January 1 and May 31, 2026, causing 51 deaths and 104 injuries. This contrasts with 67 accidents, 23 deaths, and 88 injuries in the prior year.

Excessive speed emerged as the leading cause of these fatal incidents, accounting for 35.29% of deaths and 31.03% of accidents. Other contributing factors include inattention, dangerous lane changes, and failure to keep right. Motorcycles were involved in nearly half of all accidents and a significant portion of the fatalities.

The data also highlights that young adults aged 19 to 39 are the most vulnerable, representing 47% of both deaths and injuries. The delegations of Bouhajla, Haffouz, Kairouan-Nord, and Kairouan-Sud are particularly affected, with inadequate road infrastructure cited as a contributing factor alongside risky driver behavior.

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the number of road accidents recorded in the governorate has increased by 29.85% between January 1 and May 31, 2026.