Police: 555 Killed on Peruvian Highways in 2006

VOA News
Voice of America
July 11, 2006

Highway police in Peru says 555 people have been killed in road accidents in the first six months of 2006, a third more than in the same period last year.

Police said Tuesday that 759 traffic accidents occurred on Peruvian roads between January and June.

Officials say negligence and a disregard for traffic laws are the primary causes for most of the accidents.  Bus crashes in particular, are common in Peru, as speeding drivers, poorly maintained vehicles and dangerous roads combine to kill hundreds of people each year.

Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.