Beirut, Lebanon (Enmaeya News) — More than 40 people lost their lives on Lebanon’s roads in August alone, with dozens more injured, according to figures released Tuesday by the Youth Association for Social Awareness (YASA).

The association described the toll as “shocking,” warning that if accidents continue at this rate, the country could face over 1,000 deaths in a single year, turning road crashes into a national tragedy.

YASA highlighted that recent accidents have taken on unusual patterns, including a sharp rise in truck collisions, motorcycle crashes, cars ramming into shops, vehicles overturning on coastal and mountain roads, and frequent pedestrian strikes.

The organization stressed that these incidents were not due to weather conditions but mainly caused by reckless speeding, the absence of mandatory vehicle inspections, weak law enforcement, and the widespread use of unregistered motorcycles. Poor road maintenance, lack of lighting, and aging vehicles further compound the problem.

“These combined causes have created what we can only call a ‘traffic massacre,’” YASA said, holding reckless driving and official negligence responsible for the deaths of innocent people.

The group urged authorities to take immediate and serious measures to improve road safety, stressing that “those spared by the horrors of war should not fall victim to recklessness on the roads.”

YASA concluded that stricter monitoring and effective safety measures could save countless lives, emphasizing that Lebanon’s roads must serve as safe pathways for daily life, not corridors of tragedy.