The number of traffic fatalities in 2000 totaled 9,066, up 60 over 1999 for the first increase since more than 10,000 deaths were recorded in 1996, the National Police Agency said Thursday.

Road accidents killed an average of 24.8 people per day in 2000, with one dying every 58 minutes, NPA officials said.

By prefecture, Hokkaido had the highest number with 548, followed by Aichi with 443, Chiba with 416, Tokyo with 413 and Saitama with 389.