Amman: The Higher Population Council warned on Saturday of worsening traffic congestion, particularly in central and northern Jordan, due to uneven population distribution and a steady increase in vehicle numbers. In a statement to mark World Traffic Day tomorrow, the council said that about 92 percent of the Kingdom’s population is in northwestern regions, which exacerbates traffic congestion, given the road network’s inability to accommodate a growing demand for land transport.
According to Jordan News Agency, the number of registered vehicles in Jordan soared from 1.72 million in 2020 to about 2 million in 2024, equating to one vehicle for every six people, compared to one vehicle for every 69 people in 1970. The council pointed out that this number is expected to exceed 2.3 million by 2030, presenting a mounting challenge to the transport infrastructure.
The statement highlighted a surge in road accidents in Jordan, from 122,970 in 2020 to 190,175 in 2024, with incidents resulting in injuries increasing from 8,451 to 11,950. These accidents led to 543 deaths and 18,275 injuries in 2024 alone. The council attributed 97 percent of these accidents to human error.