Speed limits on highways increased starting July

Turkey has approved plans to increase speed limits by 10 to 20 kilometers per hour (kph) on the country's highways.

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu disclosed the plans in early May. On June 2, the Interior Ministry issued a statement stating that speed limits will be increased from 120 to 130 kph on some roads and from 120 to 140 kph on other roads.

The speed limit will be 140 kph for the highways whose construction works are ongoing and will open to service in the future.

The new speed limits will come into force as of July 1, the statement added.

The Interior Ministry's directive was sent to the governor's offices in all 81 provinces.

The decision was taken by taking the road standards into consideration, the ministry said.

More than 530 people were killed in nearly 144,000 road accidents between January and April. Most of the accidents, around 119,000 - occurred in residential areas, according to data from the traffic division of the Directorate General of Security.

However, accidents that happened outside the residential areas claimed more lives.

Over 74,000 people were also injured in road accidents in the first four months of 2022.