MOSCOW, Nov. 29 -- People die at a higher rate traveling Russia's roads than in any country in Europe, Interior Minister Rashid Nurgalieve says.

Nurgalieve said Thursday that 32,000-35,000 people die and about 285,000 are injured in more than 200,000 traffic accidents in Russia each year, Kommersant reported Friday. That's the highest traffic accident mortality rate of any European state, he said.

About 70 percent of all traffic deaths occur at the accident site or en route to the hospital.

Nurgaliev said, however, accidents blamed on drunken driving are down this year, as are accidents caused by pedestrians and children.

Still, he said, there is a need for a systematic and gradual buildup of efforts to reduce traffic fatalities.(UPI)