Phone use ranks among top causes of Cyprus road deaths

Local policeRoad fatalitiesroad safetyTop Newstraffic collisiontransport Phone use ranks among top causes of Cyprus road deaths Phone Use Ranks Among Top Causes Of Cyprus Road Deaths Relevant News Phone use ranks among top causes of Cyprus road deaths 16 June 2026 Values abroad, compromises everywhere: Europe’s human rights problem 16 June 2026 Pipe fault leaves large area of Limassol without water 16 June 2026 Newsroom 16 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Mobile phone use and driver distraction have been linked to more than five fatal traffic collisions in Cyprus so far this year, while police logged 31,066 reports for phone use behind the wheel between 2023 and 2025, authorities said as a new road safety campaign was launched in Nicosia on Tuesday. The campaign, titled “How many scrolls is a life worth? None. Grab the wheel,” was unveiled at the Traffic Education Park by Anytime, the motor insurer owned by the Interamerican Group, in cooperation with the Traffic Police Department’s Prevention and Awareness Office. New MPs were among those who attended the launch. A video featuring messages from Anytime’s road safety ambassador, Andreas Aravis, was shown at the start of the press conference. Police figures for 2025 show that, of the 45 people killed on Cyprus’s roads, 11 deaths were linked to careless driving or distraction, nine victims were pedestrians, eight were aged 25 or under and three were cyclists. The campaign includes outdoor advertising on the road network, radio adverts and a social media drive featuring Aravis and Katerina Agapitou, alongside media discussions on road safety held with police involvement. Anytime and the police will also run awareness sessions at army camps, universities and major events such as the Larnaca marathon. Police: distraction a leading cause of crashes Charis Evripidou, the Traffic Police Department’s director, said phone use and distraction have in recent years been among the leading causes of road collisions in Cyprus. He said overseas research has shown mobile phone use to be more dangerous than alcohol, since it diverts attention from driving for many seconds at a time. Evripidou said the pattern had continued into 2026, with the more than five accidents already recorded this year linked to distraction. He said distraction was also the leading cause of collisions in 2025, with more than 17 cases recorded. He welcomed the cooperation with Anytime, saying it was necessary to show how dangerous mobile phone use is in any form, whether drivers are talking or scrolling. “We have to leave it to one side,” he said. He added that, given how short most journeys in Cyprus are, he did not believe anyone had work so urgent that it could not wait 10, 20 or 30 minutes until they reached their destination, leaving the phone aside until then. Scrolling on a phone does not mix with driving, Evripidou said, warning of the risk of a collision while looking at a phone screen behind the wheel. He thanked Anytime for the initiative, saying it was important that police were not alone in tackling road safety and prevention. Insurer: phone use “a choice that can be prevented” Keti Alexandrou, head of Interamerican Cyprus, said every road accident represents a human life, a family and someone whose life can change within seconds. She said that, as a leading motor insurer, Anytime had a moral obligation to contribute through its corporate social responsibility programme, with road safety as one of its key priorities for public awareness. Alexandrou said using a mobile phone while driving was not simply a bad habit. “It is a choice, and one that can be prevented,” she said. She said Anytime, working with the police, hoped the campaign would encourage both the public and individual drivers to help reduce accidents, and to decide that, once behind the wheel, the phone should be left aside. (information from CNA) Read more: Police name 48 most dangerous roads to reduce traffic deaths Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Values abroad, compromises everywhere: Europe’s human rights problem Pipe fault leaves large area of Limassol without water Anastasiades, other officials may face criminal charges over Elena Rybolovleva arrest Lady’s Mile turtle protection a ‘disgrace’, Terra Cypria says, accusing British Bases Protaras Riviera? After 108 days of a war reality show, Trump’s fanfare remains — and thousands are dead Energy security and geopolitical stability Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.