Traffic fatalities surge 20 pct in Bolivia

LA PAZ, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — Traffic fatalities in Bolivia surged by 20 percent to 732 in the first half of this year from a year earlier, local traffic authorities said Wednesday.
Traffic accidents are mainly caused by negligence or driving under the influence of alcohol, said Carlos Ponce, the national director of transit.
Fatalities rose despite a 7.5 percent decline in the total number of traffic accidents, which fell from 8,436 to 7,802. ■