Mohammad Deeb Bazzet | Alaa Shaabo | Ghena Jabr

Every time an accident occurs on a Syrian road, the scene seems to begin and end in the same place: images of a wrecked vehicle, ambulances, a road closed for a period of time, then new figures added to the record of losses. But repeated accidents do not necessarily begin at the moment of impact, nor do they end there.

The deadly accident on the Damascus-Deir Ezzor road on July 25, which killed 35 people and injured 30 others according to the announced toll, was one of those moments when the question went beyond the number of victims. Why do accidents keep recurring? Is it enough to search for who was at fault after they happen, or is there something within the safety system itself that allows an error to become a tragedy?

Speed is not the only cause of traffic accidents, and the driver is not alone in confronting the risk. A vehicle may enter the road with a mechanical defect, a road may lack maintenance, lighting or signs, and a law may define an offense without providing sufficient deterrence. Between these factors, the circumstances of an accident take shape, and a momentary mistake can become an irreversible loss.

In this report, Enab Baladi examines traffic accidents from several angles, tracking their scale, causes and areas of concentration, and asking whether available data can transform danger from recorded figures into identifiable locations and targeted interventions. It also examines the condition of Syrian roads, including deterioration, rehabilitation, safety measures and maintenance, as well as the Traffic Law, the gap between its provisions and implementation, and whether penalties are capable of deterring violations.

Road Accidents: Figures Reveal the Scale of the Risk

Traffic accidents in Syria do not appear to be isolated incidents. Data from the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management show a sharp rise in the number of accidents and human casualties during the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2025.

According to ministry data, the number of accidents increased by about 95% between the first half of 2025 and the first half of 2026. The number of people injured rose by 99%, while deaths increased by 74%. Children stand out among the growing casualties, with child deaths in traffic accidents rising from four during the first half of 2025 to 19 during the same period in 2026.

These losses come within a broader global context. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.16 million people die each year as a result of road crashes, while road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5 to 29. More than 90% of road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Placing Syria within this global context does not mean that the causes of accidents are the same everywhere. Local data show that excessive speed was the leading cause of accidents during the first half of 2026, accounting for 31.09%, followed by illegal overtaking at 13.50%, and sudden vehicle failures at 10.38%.

Where Is the Risk Concentrated?

The World Health Organization adopts a broader approach known as the “Safe System” approach, which treats human error as an expected part of road use rather than something that can be eliminated. Responsibility for safety therefore does not rest solely on driver behavior, but also includes road design, speed management, vehicles, road users and post-crash response.

The basic principle is that an error should not necessarily result in death or serious injury, and that the transport system should be designed with the possibility of human error in mind while limiting its consequences.

This approach becomes particularly important when examining the distribution of accidents in Syria. Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management data show that roads outside cities accounted for 58% of all accidents during the period studied, 64% of injuries and 66% of deaths, compared with the proportions recorded inside cities and towns.

The higher number of accidents on roads outside urban areas does not mean that the road itself is solely responsible. It does, however, show that the level of danger and the consequences of crashes are not evenly distributed, making identification of the most hazardous locations an essential step before selecting the appropriate intervention.

At this point, data shift from being a means of recording losses to a tool for identifying where dangers recur, what distinguishes these locations, and which interventions could reduce the frequency or severity of accidents.

This is the direction the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management says it is seeking to adopt through its national road safety plan.

Ibrahim Shannan, director of the ministry’s Safety and Civil Protection Directorate, told Enab Baladi that preparation of the plan was not a response to a single accident, but resulted from an “accumulation of indicators requiring organized national intervention.” The aim, he said, is to move away from dealing with accidents only after they happen toward a preventive approach based on risk management and reducing the likelihood of crashes.

Shannan said the ministry proposes identifying and classifying high-risk roads, addressing “black spots,” improving signs, road markings, lighting and barriers at critical locations, and carrying out joint field assessments with the relevant authorities.

The ministry defines “black spots” as locations where accidents recur or where death and injury rates are higher than elsewhere. These locations are to be identified using accident data, field surveys and the international iRAP assessment methodology.

According to Shannan, the ministry has submitted an initial proposal dividing interventions into urgent, medium-term and long-term measures. A joint national committee is expected to develop a detailed implementation program, define the responsibilities of the relevant authorities, establish indicators for measuring progress and issue periodic follow-up reports.

Implementing the interventions, however, does not stop with identifying dangerous locations. The ministry says the plan will be monitored through a joint national committee and a timeline that defines the responsibilities of the relevant authorities, alongside performance indicators and periodic reports to measure progress. The ministry has initially divided the measures into urgent, medium-term and long-term actions.

According to the ministry, the committee’s role will not be limited to coordinating current interventions. It is also expected to develop a sustainable national road safety framework, eventually leading to the creation of a Syrian road code based on international best practices.

Gathering Data to Reduce Deaths

International experience shows that the value of collecting accident data lies not only in recording losses, but in using the information to guide interventions and measure their results. In Iraq, two major corridors recorded an 81% reduction in annual deaths between 2013 and 2022 under a World Bank project that included road safety improvements. A corridor included in an urban transport improvement project in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, recorded a 79% decline in deaths between 2015 and 2021.

This approach does not rely on a single measure. Instead, it treats safety as a system involving road management, speeds, vehicles, road users and post crash response.

Implementing such a plan will not be simple. The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management itself has acknowledged the aging of part of the road network, limited financial resources, the need to update some legislative frameworks and the need to standardize technical criteria among the relevant authorities. The plan’s success will therefore depend not only on identifying dangerous locations, but on the ability of different institutions to turn that diagnosis into measurable and workable interventions.

Road Conditions: 9,058 Kilometers Without Years of Maintenance

Syria’s central road network has suffered a decline in structural condition after many years of limited maintenance, leading to deterioration across numerous sections and increasing risks to road users.

Deteriorated roads, insufficient routine maintenance, missing or poorly distributed traffic signs, weak lighting and the absence of protective barriers along some routes can all increase the likelihood of crashes or worsen their consequences.

At the same time, the relevant authorities have a role in monitoring roads, carrying out maintenance and implementing safety and traffic enforcement measures.

In this context, Moaz Najjar, director general of the General Establishment for Road Transport, told Enab Baladi that Syria’s central road network faces major challenges because maintenance work has declined over many years. He said the network extends for about 9,058 kilometers and that many sections have deteriorated, affecting road safety and the security of road users.

Najjar said the main challenges include the vast extent of the network requiring rehabilitation, the high financial costs and lengthy implementation periods involved, a shortage of road safety equipment along most routes, and the urgent need to address “black spots” while completing road signs and road markings.

He added that excessive and illegal loads are among the main causes of structural damage to roads and accelerate their deterioration.

Structural engineer Ahmed Sobhi Al-Laham told Enab Baladi that Syrian roads are in poor condition both structurally and in terms of traffic engineering. He said many roads suffer from aging infrastructure and long operating lives, while many traffic-related problems stem from the absence of specialized studies.

Al-Laham added that addressing the condition of the road network should begin with a study of the current situation from both structural and traffic perspectives, followed by comprehensive and accurate studies identifying the appropriate solutions.

“The roads face structural and traffic problems as a result of aging and heavy use. Any genuine solution must begin with an accurate study of the current situation from both the implementation and traffic engineering perspectives.”

Ahmed Sobhi Al-Laham
Structural engineer

Civil engineer Yasser Dalal, executive director of the Puzant Yacoubian Group, agreed with this assessment. He told Enab Baladi that the deterioration of Syria’s roads is the result of years of weak maintenance, damaged infrastructure and limited resources.

He said traffic across the road network increased after the liberation in December 2024, alongside greater movement between governorates, an increase in the number of vehicles and the revival of economic and population activity.

He explained that developing the road network is not limited to improving domestic transportation, but represents a strategic opportunity to restore Syria’s role as a regional corridor linking the Mediterranean with Iraq and the Gulf states, and connecting Turkey and Europe with Arab markets.

According to Dalal, rehabilitating international roads, particularly the M5, M4, Damascus-Daraa road, and roads leading to border crossings and ports, is not merely a local service project. It is also an economic investment that can stimulate transit traffic, reduce transportation costs, support exports and attract investment.

He said there are government efforts to improve several major routes, but the extent of the damage requires the launch of an integrated national program to rehabilitate the road network and strengthen traffic safety in a way that supports economic recovery and restores Syria’s regional role.

“Roads are an integrated system, and rehabilitating them requires scientific planning and a comprehensive national program because they are an investment in safety, the economy, and restoring Syria’s regional role.”

Yasser Dalal
Civil engineer and executive director of Puzant Yacoubian Group

Which Rehabilitation Projects Take Priority?

According to Director General Moaz Najjar, the General Establishment for Road Transport uses a clear technical methodology to determine priorities for rehabilitation and maintenance projects across the governorates. The methodology is based on a comprehensive assessment of central routes using criteria that include the road’s structural condition, “black spots,” traffic density, maintenance requirements, and each road’s economic and social importance, while also taking into account the need to connect governorates and vital areas.

Najjar added that the establishment continuously monitors infrastructure safety using modern technologies to detect defects. For the first time in Syria, specialized equipment was used to survey the Damascus-Aleppo road and assess its technical condition, as part of the establishment’s move toward using modern technology to manage the road network and determine maintenance priorities more efficiently.

According to Najjar, the condition of roads is monitored continuously through the establishment’s branches across all Syrian governorates.

He also said the establishment has developed an urgent emergency plan alongside a strategic plan to rehabilitate the busiest routes and those with the highest accident rates.

As part of this effort, the establishment announced an external tender to rehabilitate the Nassib-Aleppo corridor. It also offered a project to rehabilitate the Damascus-Palmyra-Deir Ezzor corridor, including maintenance of the existing road and construction of a complete second carriageway to separate traffic moving in opposite directions. Najjar said the bids are being studied and the results will be announced in the coming days.

The establishment also recently announced a project to rehabilitate the al-Basiri to al-Tanf road as part of its plan to develop the central road network, according to its director general.

Yasser Dalal said the scale of damage and increased traffic require a move away from emergency repairs toward an integrated national program. He noted that many roads were designed for lower levels of traffic than they now carry, placing considerable pressure on them as the number of vehicles and intercity journeys has increased. He added that maintenance work in recent years has often been limited to emergency repairs without addressing the underlying causes of deterioration.

He added that updating technical specifications has become necessary, including standards for asphalt mixture design, implementation methods and quality control, while using improved materials according to testing results and the actual needs of each road.

Safety Equipment Is Part of the Road

The challenges facing Syria’s roads are not limited to structural conditions. They also include road safety equipment, which is an essential component in reducing accidents. Signs, road markings and lighting play an important role in organizing traffic and guiding drivers, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are installed according to studies that consider the characteristics of each road and its traffic density.

Najjar said most roads suffer from a shortage of road safety equipment and that the establishment is continuously working to complete traffic signs of various types, carry out road marking work, and include lighting in rehabilitation projects for high-traffic corridors, particularly the Damascus-Aleppo road.

Najjar said there is continuing coordination between the Ministry of Transport, represented by the General Establishment for Road Transport, and the Ministry of Interior to improve road safety and provide a safer traffic environment for the public.

“The General Establishment for Road Transport gives particular attention to corridors with heavy traffic or high accident rates. Rehabilitation projects include improvements to road safety elements that help reduce risks on the road.”

Moaz Najjar
Director General of the General Establishment for Road Transport

Engineer Ahmed Al-Laham agreed on the importance of these measures, but stressed that simply having them is not enough. He said road safety equipment such as signs and lighting is essential for improving road safety, but its effectiveness depends on specialists determining where the equipment should be placed. Improper distribution, he said, could increase accident risks instead of reducing them.

He stressed that routine maintenance is an urgent priority at the current stage because most roads have experienced extensive wear.

Al-Laham concluded that addressing road conditions must begin with studying the existing situation from both structural and traffic perspectives, followed by proper and comprehensive studies determining the appropriate methods of intervention.

Safety Begins With Design

While General Establishment for Road Transport director general Moaz Najjar focuses on completing road safety equipment, and structural engineer Ahmed Sobhi Al-Laham stresses the importance of distributing it according to specialized studies, civil engineer and Puzant Yacoubian Group executive director Yasser Dalal expands the concept of safety to include the design of the road itself.

Dalal said road safety begins with sound engineering design. Roads should provide sufficient sight distance, safe designs for curves and intersections, solutions for sudden elevation changes, and effective drainage to prevent water accumulation and loss of vehicle traction.

The asphalt surface should also be even and sufficiently resistant to skidding, while traffic lanes should be free of potholes, cracks, subsidence and dangerous differences in elevation between the edge of the road and the shoulder.

Signs should be clear and reflective, while road markings should be visible during both day and night. Reflective road studs should also be provided, particularly at curves and in areas with reduced visibility.

Inside cities, greater priority should be given to pedestrians through clear and safe crossings, usable sidewalks, organized parking, reduced speeds near schools, markets and residential areas, and dedicated routes for bicycles and carts, according to Dalal.

He said uncontrolled access points to highways must be regulated because the large number of unorganized entrances and exits significantly increases the likelihood of crashes. Another important measure is conducting routine road safety audits and inspections, identifying blind spots where accidents repeatedly occur, and addressing each location according to its actual cause. The problem may be poor lighting, an unsuitable intersection, high speed or insufficient visibility, and not necessarily poor asphalt alone.

Lighting, signs and protective barriers are not decorative elements, Dalal said, but essential components of the road safety system. They help improve driver visibility and reduce accident risks, particularly on roads with heavy nighttime traffic.

He said lighting remains weak on several important roads, including sections of the M5 and M4 and the Damascus-Daraa road. Given limited resources, he said priority should be given to lighting dangerous intersections and curves, city entrances, bridges and tunnels, alongside the installation of reflectors, directional signs and highly reflective road markings.

He added that clear signs and road markings provide drivers with early information that reduces sudden decisions, while protective barriers can reduce the severity of crashes, provided they are designed and installed according to engineering standards that ensure their effectiveness and safety.

A Roadmap for Maintenance

Roads require a sustainable maintenance plan that sets intervention priorities according to the technical condition of each road in order to improve safety and preserve infrastructure.

According to civil engineer and Puzant Yacoubian Group executive director Yasser Dalal, the required maintenance can be divided into three types:

• Routine maintenance includes repairing dangerous potholes, removing dirt and debris, cleaning drains and stormwater systems, repairing lighting, signs and barriers, renewing road markings, and cutting vegetation that obstructs visibility. These tasks should be carried out continuously.
• Preventive maintenance includes sealing cracks, addressing water infiltration, applying thin surface layers or carrying out localized repairs before damage reaches the base layers, reducing costs compared with rebuilding the road.
• Structural maintenance is required when subsidence, cracking or reduced load-bearing capacity appears. It may involve removing damaged layers, strengthening the base or laying new asphalt layers.

There is no single interval between maintenance operations that is suitable for all roads, Dalal said. An international road carrying heavy truck traffic requires more frequent monitoring than a lightly used local road.

He said maintenance decisions should not be based on age alone, but on measurable indicators such as surface smoothness, rutting, cracking, the proportion of cracked areas, skid resistance and the visible quality of asphalt layers.

Improving the road network, according to Dalal, should begin with establishing a national database covering road conditions, accidents and traffic volumes. This would allow priorities to be determined according to risk levels and economic importance instead of relying on complaints or distributing resources equally.

“The immediate priority is to address locations where accidents repeatedly occur by repairing potholes, renewing road markings, installing signs and reflectors, maintaining barriers and lighting, and improving drainage, because these measures can quickly improve safety.”

Yasser Dalal
Civil engineer and executive director of Puzant Yacoubian Group

Dalal added that attention should focus on vital corridors, particularly the M5, M4 and Damascus to Daraa road, followed by major roads inside cities, while technical specifications are updated, implementation oversight is tightened and contractor agreements are linked to clear performance standards and warranty periods.

He concluded that financing road development should not be limited to the state budget. Funding could also be supported through partnerships with the private sector, development grants and loans, and investment in services located within road corridors, with part of their revenues directed toward maintenance.

From Legislation to Implementation

What Are the Gaps in the Road Safety System?

The deadly accident on the Damascus-Deir Ezzor road reopened debate over whether Syria’s legal framework governing traffic is adequate, and whether existing legislation can reduce accidents or whether the main problem lies in weak implementation.

The existence of a Traffic Law does not necessarily mean fewer accidents. The effectiveness of any law remains tied to compliance, the ability of the authorities to detect violations, and the imposition of penalties strong enough to deter them.

Syria has a Traffic Law regulating vehicle movement and traffic violations, but repeated deadly crashes have renewed questions about whether the law is sufficient and whether it needs amendments to reflect current traffic conditions, including the value of fines, enforcement mechanisms and the handling of behaviors that have become recurring causes of accidents.

Traffic experts say the central problem does not always lie in the wording of the law itself, but in the gap between having a law and enforcing it. Many violations that drivers consider minor can become direct causes of deadly crashes, making stronger deterrence, public awareness and improved enforcement mechanisms essential parts of any effort to reduce accidents.

Multiple Causes Behind Accidents

Major Jomaa Qaddour, head of the Aleppo Traffic Investigations Department, said traffic accidents are not linked to a single factor, but result from several overlapping causes. His experience in traffic policing, he said, points to four main factors behind crashes:

• The first is the “human factor,” involving drivers, pedestrians and road users in general. Qaddour said this is linked to insufficient knowledge of the Traffic Law, as well as reckless behavior by some drivers and a lack of attention while using the road.
• Natural factors affecting traffic safety include weather conditions such as dust, fog and rain, which can reduce drivers’ ability to control vehicles or see the road clearly.
• “Logistical” factors related to road conditions include road width, technical condition, lane layout and directional, guidance and warning signs. These factors can either reduce accidents or increase the likelihood of them occurring.
• The technical condition of the vehicle is another factor in crashes. Failure to conduct regular maintenance or neglect of mechanical problems can result in accidents, particularly in vehicles used for long-distance travel.

The Law Is Not the Cause of the Problem

Major Jomaa Qaddour said the Traffic Law cannot be held responsible for traffic accidents, either entirely or partially. He argued that the law was developed through accumulated experience and in response to problems observed in real traffic conditions.

He said some provisions need to be amended and that the relevant authorities are currently studying them.

In many accidents, the direct cause is violating the Traffic Law and failing to enforce it, even when the violations may appear minor or ordinary to some road users.

“A traffic accident can result from a moment of inattention, and using a phone while driving is one of the dangerous violations behind a large proportion of crashes.”

Major Jomaa Qaddour
Head of the Aleppo Traffic Investigations Department

Qaddour added that running traffic signals, speeding and other violations that some road users may underestimate are major causes of accidents. He stressed that failure to activate the deterrent aspect of penalties, particularly fines, is one of the shortcomings that needs to be addressed under the current law.

He said the low value of fines compared with current economic conditions and the decline in the Syrian pound against other currencies has made it necessary to reconsider their value so penalties can achieve a deterrent effect. The relevant authorities are working on the issue, he added.

This point is consistent with announced plans to amend the system of fines. Recent official statements indicate that the proposed new Traffic Law would sharply increase fines and classify offenses according to their level of danger, while introducing graduated penalties and a points deduction system for driving licenses.

Are Traffic Police Numbers Sufficient?

Regarding traffic police staffing, Qaddour said the number of officers is currently within “reasonable and acceptable” limits, with plans to increase staffing in the coming period.

He said there is a plan to provide traffic branches with new personnel after they undergo training courses aimed at preparing officers capable of dealing professionally with traffic while adhering to police conduct and ethics.

Qaddour linked the law’s ability to achieve its objectives with the level of road safety awareness among road users, saying low traffic awareness is one of the greatest obstacles to enforcing the Traffic Law.

He said road safety culture should be promoted through seminars, schools and community meetings, as well as television, radio and social media.

According to Qaddour, improving enforcement is not limited to raising awareness. He also recommended deploying traffic monitoring points on highways and roads connecting governorates to monitor road users and reduce violations.

Long Working Hours for Drivers

Qaddour also stressed the importance of considering drivers’ physical condition, particularly drivers of large trucks and intercity coaches. Long working hours and extended periods behind the wheel can reduce concentration and attention, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

He said addressing this issue requires setting specific and reasonable working hours for such drivers to protect both them and other road users, stressing that the principal weakness lies in the implementation of the law rather than the existence of the law itself.

He also said failure to observe directional, guidance and warning signs is another cause of accidents, as these signs are intended to regulate traffic and alert drivers to potential road hazards.

From Deterrence to Prevention

At the conclusion of his remarks, Qaddour presented several recommendations for reducing traffic accidents, some of which overlap with proposals from infrastructure experts, particularly in relation to improving roads, increasing monitoring and strengthening preventive measures.

Experts’ Recommendations to Reduce Traffic Accidents

• Increase traffic safety awareness among road users.
• Accelerate the repair and rehabilitation of roads inside and outside cities.
• Use available unused spaces to create vehicle parking areas.
• Amend parts of the Traffic Law, particularly provisions related to fines.
• Deploy traffic monitoring points on highways and roads connecting governorates.