A total of 29,866 people died in traffic accidents on Chinese roads in the first six months this year, a 10.5 percent drop year-on-year, the Ministry of Public Security announced Monday.

A total of 107,193 traffic accidents were reported in the first half, down 18.7 percent, leaving close to 130,000 people injured, a drop of 16.7 percent.

Total direct economic losses of road accidents fell 22.9 percent to 410 million yuan (US$60 million), the ministry said in a statement on its website.

But the ministry warned of a possible increase in road accidents during the summer due to an expected road traffic peak brought about vacationers and students on holiday.

Increasing demand for electricity in the northern parts of China would also lead to greater road transportation of coal, the ministry said, adding that supportive policies and subsidies to encourage rural people to buy new vehicles and motorcycles would also add to the difficulties of traffic accident prevention.

It urged local police authorities to step up efforts to ensure road safety ahead of the National Day, which marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2009)