Road accidents killed 23,411 and injured 118,887 people in the first quarter of this year, resulting in direct property loss of 490 million yuan (US$59 million), according to a bulletin released by the Ministry of Public Security.

The figures are all down from the same period of last year, and the road safety situation in the first quarter "remains steady," it says.

According to the bulletin, drunken driving caused 1,113 deaths in this period, up 5.2 percent; driving not in line with regulations caused 2,089 deaths, up 31.4 percent.

Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Fujian had the most road accident deaths in the first quarter, according to the bulletin.

The ministry urged drivers and government departments to pay attention to road safety as Spring outings and road traffic increase.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2005)