YANGON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of five people were killed and 60 others injured in traffic accidents on Myanmar's Yangon-Mandalay highway in January this year, local The Voice Daily quoted the Highway Police Force as reporting on Monday.

A total of 43 road accidents were registered on the country's busiest highway last month.

There were a total of 473 accidents, leaving 103 deaths and 877 injures on Yangon-Mandalay highway in the whole 2018.

Reckless driving, overspeeding, defective vehicles, inclement weather were mainly blamed for the traffic accidents.

Aiming to enhance better traffic safety along the highway, the highway authorities have increased the number of road safety police in 16 police stations, providing 24-hour services for travellers since 2012.

The 587 km-long highway, connecting the country's commercial city Yangon and second largest city Mandalay, was opened to reduce the travel time between the two cities in December 2010.