During Road Safety Month, at least thirteen people have so far died in traffic in Suriname this year. During the same campaign period in 2025, six traffic fatalities were recorded. This means the provisional death toll this year is more than twice as high. Road Safety Month 2026 will officially conclude on Tuesday, September 15.
At the start of the campaign on August 15, the traffic barometer stood at 61 deaths, according to the Verkeersveiligheidsinstituut (VVI; Road Safety Institute). By September 9, that number had risen to 74. This means that thirteen new traffic fatalities were recorded during the ongoing Road Safety Month up to the latest published official figure.
This is seven more victims than during the entire Road Safety Month of 2025, when six traffic fatalities were counted. In percentage terms, the provisional increase amounts to approximately 117 percent.
The comparison is not yet final. The campaign officially runs from August 15 through September 15 and concludes tomorrow. The VVI and the Korps Politie Suriname (Suriname Police Force) may present a more up-to-date final figure at the closing. The most recent public figure on the VVI road safety dashboard is 74 traffic fatalities through September 9.
Two moped riders killed in September
The last two victims listed by the VVI were moped riders. On September 6, a 22-year-old moped rider was killed in a collision at the intersection of Watermolenstraat and Mr. F.H.R. Lim A Postraat in Paramaribo. The traffic barometer thereby rose to 73.
On September 9, another moped rider died after colliding with a passenger car on Welgedacht B-weg. This brought the number of traffic fatalities in 2026 to 74. Current reports and figures can be found on the VVI website.
Moped riders remain one of the most vulnerable groups in traffic. Of the 72 fully registered traffic fatalities through August 31, 25 were moped riders. In addition, ten pedestrians, ten car drivers and nine passengers were among those killed. The full breakdown is included in the VVI’s historical traffic data.
2025 annual figure already exceeded
There has not only been a sharp increase during Road Safety Month. According to the VVI, 61 traffic fatalities occurred throughout 2025. By September 9, 2026, the count had already reached 74. That is thirteen deaths, or more than 21 percent, higher than during the entire previous calendar year.
August, with fourteen traffic fatalities, was among the deadliest months of 2026. Only January recorded a higher number, with fifteen victims. July also saw fourteen traffic fatalities.
Strategic plan must halve death toll
The increase is taking place while the government earlier this year presented the Strategisch Verkeersveiligheidsplan 2026–2030 (Strategic Road Safety Plan 2026–2030). The plan is intended to ensure that the number of traffic fatalities and seriously injured people is reduced by 50 percent by 2030 compared with 2021. Key News also previously reported on the objectives in the article “Halving traffic accidents by 2030”.
The plan focuses, among other things, on central coordination, stricter enforcement, safer roads and vehicles, traffic education and better care for victims after traffic accidents. Safety audits are also planned for 25 roads and intersections where many accidents occur.
According to the budget, at least USD 414,500 is needed for implementation through 2030. Actual costs may be higher, as not all infrastructure measures are fully included in that amount. The Pan American Health Organization describes the plan’s objectives in its report on the launch of the Strategic Road Safety Plan 2026–2030.
At the official closing of Road Safety Month on Tuesday, it must become clear what the final death toll for the period from August 15 through September 15 will be. However, the provisional figures already show that the 2026 campaign period has been considerably deadlier than last year’s.
