ANSR, which collates information from the PSP and GNR, said that from 1 January to 28 February, there were 19,836 road traffic accidents recorded, 1,065 fewer than in the same period of 2016, when there were 20,901 accidents.

According to the ANSR the districts with the greatest number of deaths on the roads were Lisbon and Santarém (11), and Porto (10) and in Évora, Leiria and Vila Real there have been no deaths on the road so far this year.

The ANSR also said that 255 people were seriously injured in RTAs in the same period, or 45 fewer year on year.

The ANSR figures record deaths that occur at the site of the accident or en route to hospital.