Man injured on New Year’s Day after falling from roof of moving taxi

A 31-year-old man was seriously injured in Madrid in the early hours of New Year’s Day after climbing atop a moving taxi and falling off.

The victim, who was riding on the roof of the taxi for unknown reasons, hit his head on the curb as the vehicle made a turn, Madrid’s emergency services reported.

The police have arrested the driver and are investigating whether the accident was the result of an argument

The accident took place at 6am on January 1 on the corner of Doctor Esquerdo and Ciudad de Barcelona Avenue.

When the driver took the turn, the passenger slid off the roof, hit his head on the curb and sustained a serious concussion that left him unconscious.

The police have arrested the taxi driver and are now investigating whether the accident was caused by an argument between both men or whether it was the result of a New Year’s prank.

It was not the only mishap to occur during end-of-the-year celebrations in the capital.

This New Year’s Eve saw a 116-percent rise in minor traffic accidents compared with the same day in 2015. There were also more traffic violations, cases of assault, brawls and alcohol poisoning, the emergency services said.

Despite the overall increase, there were no serious incidents to report save for the injured man on the taxi.

English version by Susana Urra.