As temperatures decrease, traffic accidents increase

Several Shanghai districts saw a significant jump in the number of traffic accidents during extremely cold days in the past three winters, Shanghai traffic police said on Friday.

Police tracked the number of traffic accidents in each district on 22 days with temperatures below freezing from 2018 to 2020, and compared it with the average daily number of accidents on normal days.

Among urban districts, the results show that 45 percent more traffic accidents than usual happened in Jing'an District during extreme cold, while Putuo saw 39 percent more accidents.

Meanwhile, three major thoroughfares with parts in the two districts – Gonghexin Road, Zhongshan Road N. and Hutai Road – recorded the largest number of traffic accidents during the last three winters, police said.

The increase was even greater in some suburban districts, with a 77 percent rise in Songjiang and a 58 percent in Baoshan.

In terms of elevated roads and expressways, Middle Ring Road, Jiamin Elevated Road, Inner Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, the G15 and G60 expressways were most prone to traffic accidents in the past three winters, according to police.

Small passenger cars, e-bikes and heavy trucks were the types of vehicles most frequently involved in accidents, police said.

There were 15 extremely cold days in Shanghai last winter, and it's predicted the number will increase this year.

Police said they have prepared themselves for the coldest days by stepping up law enforcement and communication with road transport companies, and making contingency plans for emergencies at spots in the city that are more prone to traffic accidents.