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BiggerAuthorities Accidents leave 29 dead on Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2026
According to the final report from the COE, 19 of the fatalities were riding motorcycles, and the majority of deaths occurred outside the road safety operation.
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported that 29 people lost their lives during the Christmas and New Year festivities as a result of traffic accidents on various roads in the country, according to the final report of the “Awareness for Life, Christmas 2025-2026” operation, released yesterday by that agency.
This death toll occurred in a context of high national mobility, with 7.6 million people traveling on roads and highways, according to the agency, which again tested the response capacity of relief agencies and the behavior of drivers during the holiday.
The report indicates that 11 of the deaths occurred during the first phase of the operation, which corresponded to Christmas. In contrast, 18 happened in the second phase, coinciding with the greater traffic during the New Year celebration.
According to the agency, 48% of deaths occurred between midnight and 6:00 a.m.
Motorcycle deaths
The COE indicated that the most significant number of deaths were due to motorcycles, since 19 of the 29 fatal victims were traveling in this type of vehicle, which is equivalent to more than 65% of the total deaths recorded during the operation.
He also noted that eight people died in accidents involving light vehicles, while two others died after being run over.
The report also highlights that 25 of the deaths occurred outside the agency’s road safety device, compared to four inside it, which, according to the COE, indicates the incidence of recklessness and speeding in unsupervised sections.
The agency does not specify which sections were not supervised or why.
During the two phases of the operation, authorities recorded 245 traffic accidents, affecting 307 people, with motorcycles responsible for more than 74% of the incidents.
Fewer deaths than in 2024
Although the number of deaths remains high, the COE highlighted that there was a 31% reduction compared to the end of last year, when 42 deaths from traffic accidents were reported.
On the other hand, the COE reported 769 people treated for alcohol poisoning, 52 minors, and 163 cases of food poisoning, with no deaths from these causes.
