BEIJING, Jan. 5 -- Fewer traffic accidents were reported in China in 2013 compared with the previous year, with no reports of extremely fatal traffic accidents, vice minister of public security Huang Ming said on Sunday.

The number of fatal traffic accidents dropped to 16 last year from 25 in 2012, representing the fewest since 1990, Huang said.

Accidents that resulted in five or more fatalities fell by 15 percent in the year.

In China, accidents are categorized as extremely fatal, fatal and major.

The official did not elaborate on how many people were killed in accidents last year.

He asked public security departments to carry out a road safety overhaul to help prevent major accidents.

Figures from the ministry showed that 16.51 million vehicles and 17.9 million drivers were newly added in 2013.