KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — More people died in road accidents over the Aidilfitri holidays compared to last year.

The 24th Ops Sikap, from August 23 until Tuesday recorded almost an identical substantial increase in accidents and fatal accidents, Bernama Online reported.

There were 19,606 accidents which is a 16.6 per cent increase, which fatal accidents were at 259, and 289 people dying in them, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar today.

Selangor saw the most number of accidents with 4,380 cases followed by Johor (2,346), Kuala Lumpur (1,956), Penang (1,392), Perak (1,377), Kedah (833), Negeri Sembilan (820), Pahang (806), Kelantan (640), Melaka (638), Sabah (543), Terengganu (536), Sarawak (482) and Perlis (68).

Most of the fatalities were motorcyclists and pillion riders (178) followed by car passengers (67), pedestrians (20), van passengers (seven), lorry passengers (six), others (six) and cyclists (five).

He was speaking to media at Bukit Aman.

Accident hours were mostly between 2pm and 6pm, and between 8pm and 10pm. Ismail added that the dead were mostly either between 16 and 25 or above 60.

A police study indicated that 85 per cent of the accidents were caused  by behaviour, with other causes being careless road crossing, skidding, negligence and tailgating.