Road accidents in Albania increased by 10% in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to data published by the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), with July also recording a sharp rise in crashes and casualties.

A total of 165 road accidents were recorded in July, up from 131 in the same month of 2025. The number of people killed or injured reached 235, compared with 194 a year earlier.

From January through July, Albania registered 844 road accidents, up from 767 during the same period in 2025. The number of people killed or injured rose to 1,187, compared with 1,077 in the first seven months of last year.

INSTAT said 90.3% of the accidents recorded in July were linked to driver behavior. People aged 25 to 34 accounted for 21.8% of all accidents recorded during the month.

The capital, Tirana, recorded the highest number of accidents in July, with 59 cases, compared with 37 a year earlier. A total of 74 people were killed or injured in accidents in the capital. During the January-July period, Tirana recorded 336 accidents, up from 219 in the same period of 2025.

Accidents were most frequent during the evening and late-night hours. According to INSTAT, 25.5% of all crashes occurred between 7 p.m. and midnight.

Thursday recorded the highest share of accidents by day of the week, at 18.8%, while Tuesday had the lowest, at 12.1%.

The figures are based on data provided by Albania's General Directorate of State Police and processed by INSTAT. Data for the latest month are preliminary and may be subject to revision.

The increase comes amid renewed efforts by authorities to improve road safety, including changes to the country's Road Code and increased police controls.