Morocco is witnessing a worrying surge in road traffic accidents and fatalities, with figures from the first five months of 2025 showing a 21% increase in the number of deaths and serious injuries compared to the same period in 2024.
Transport and Logistics Minister Abdelssamad Qayouh sounded the alarm during a meeting of the Permanent Road Safety Committee held Thursday in Rabat, warning that if the current trend continues, the country could surpass the record high of 4,222 road deaths recorded in 2011.
“This situation is particularly alarming,” Qayouh said, “and the coming summer season, with increased travel and mobility, could further exacerbate the crisis.”
According to a detailed statement released by the Ministry, the number of bodily injury accidents recorded in 2024 exceeded 143,000—a 16.22% rise compared to 2023. These accidents resulted in 4,024 fatalities, marking a 5.37% year-on-year increase.
The sharp rise in deaths has prompted the ministry to roll out an emergency summer road safety plan aimed at halting what Qayouh described as “tragic structural imbalances” in road usage, particularly among the most vulnerable groups: motorcyclists and pedestrians. These two categories, classified as “unprotected road users”, account for more than 70% of the nation’s traffic deaths, according to ministry data.
The summer safety plan, which must be implemented under a strict schedule, includes several key enforcement measures, namely, tightened speed enforcement across all vehicle types, as speed is a primary and aggravating factor in accidents, stricter helmet regulations for drivers of two- and three-wheeled motorcycles, ensuring helmets meet certified safety standards, speedometer inspections and certification checks on motorcycles, with court-authorized secondary inspections where necessary.
The plan additionally includes heightened scrutiny of public transport vehicles, particularly regarding driving hours, rest periods, and passenger capacity limits, and the deployment of mobile road safety units from the national police to enforce traffic rules on highways and regional roads.
The plan also includes enhanced oversight of “show-off driving” (illegal stunts and reckless displays), the creation of a vigilance committee, and regular evaluations of on-the-ground enforcement activities to identify challenges and respond accordingly.
In addition, the ministry plans to introduce technical inspections for motorcycles with engine capacities over 50cc, to ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi also attended Thursday’s committee meeting, signaling high-level coordination between law enforcement and judicial authorities in addressing the crisis.
With summer just beginning and road traffic expected to spike, Moroccan authorities are now racing against time to curb the upward trend and avoid what could become the country’s deadliest year on record for road accidents.
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