The number of traffic accidents in China dropped by an annual average 10.8 percent for four consecutive years from 2003, despite continuous growth in the number of privately owned cars, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Monday.

About 370,000 traffic accidents were reported in 2006, the fourth consecutive annual decrease, said a ministry statement. And road death toll dropped to 89,455 in 2006 from 104,000 in 2003.

State Councilor Zhou Yongkang urged road traffic supervisors to strengthen safety measures and maintain the decrease.

Key efforts would be made in the supervision of car manufacturing and regulating drivers' licenses and admission to the road transport industry, Zhou said.

The number of privately owned cars in China rose 18.8 percent annually over the same period to 22 million, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2007)