Budget cuts for transport safety positions are feared to erode public\nsafety. Without safety guarantees, even the most outstanding human\ninvestments will end up in vain on the asphalt roads.<\/p>\n
This assertion was made by Djoko Setijowarno, a member of the\nIndonesian Transport Community Advisory Council, to Media Indonesia on\nThursday (26\/3), in response to the government\u2019s policy of slashing\nbudgets across various ministries, as a result of disrupted global oil\nsupplies due to escalating conflicts in the Middle East region.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis becomes the government\u2019s dream of producing superior\ngenerations, hindered by fiscal and geopolitical challenges, coinciding\nwith global oil supply volatility due to the Middle East conflict, which\nforces the government to cut budgets in various ministries, including\ntransport safety positions,\u201d explained Djoko.<\/p>\n
Geopolitical tensions due to US-Israel aggression towards Iran, he\nacknowledged, directly impact the stability of global oil supplies and\nthe state\u2019s budget posture. The Indonesian government is compelled to\ntake drastic budget adjustment measures in ministries and agencies\n(K\/L).<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the civil engineering academic from Unika Soegojopranoto\nstated that budget cuts for safety in the Ministry of Transportation\nhave already been implemented and are planned to continue. Efficiency\nmeasures have a significant impact on the ground. \u201cThe reduction in\nfunds is no longer just numbers on paper, but a real threat that is\nstarting to erode our public transport safety standards,\u201d he\ncriticised.<\/p>\n
Often, behind the row of slashed budget figures for the sake of\nefficiency, human lives are at stake. Efforts to cut transport safety\nbudgets are like gambling with public safety that can turn into a time\nbomb on the highways and have fatal impacts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen safety is considered a cost burden, not an investment, then\nevery kilometre travelled by the public becomes an immeasurable risk.\nThis becomes a gamble with lives and the future,\u201d emphasised this\nnational transport observer.<\/p>\n
SURGE IN ACCIDENT FIGURES<\/p>\n
According to him, budget cuts will trigger a surge in accident\nnumbers and fatalities due to declining field supervision standards.\nWithout adequate funding support, ramp check activities or fitness\ninspections for buses and trucks cannot be carried out routinely.<\/p>\n
As a result, said Djoko, unfit vehicles continue to operate freely,\nincreasing risks from brake failures to broken axles. Other impacts\ninclude cuts to safety facilities, such as the installation of signs and\nreflective markings up to the provision of guardrails and street\nlighting, becoming minimal. Dark roads without signs can become deadly\nblind spots for every driver.<\/p>\n
So far, the safety budget that usually supports the operation of\nweighbridges and technical supervision is also continuously decreasing.\nThe consequence is that enforcement against overloaded and oversized\ntrucks (ODOL) is not optimal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe leniency towards ODOL trucks is not just a load issue, but a\nthreat to road infrastructure resilience. Roads become more quickly\npotholed and uneven, which ultimately becomes a major factor in fatal\naccidents for motorcyclists,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Clearly, transport safety budget cuts will also trigger a human\nresources (HR) crisis and a decline in driver competency. Transport\nsafety heavily depends on the human factor.<\/p>\n
When education and training programmes as well as certification for\npublic and goods transport drivers are eliminated, the frontline guards\nof road safety will be lost. Drivers not equipped with understanding of\naccident mitigation or defensive driving techniques will tend to drive\nbased on instinct.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a dangerous gamble, especially when facing difficult road\nconditions, particularly for motorcyclists. So behind this savings or\nefficiency, it actually triggers swelling costs on the other side, such\nas post-accident financing becoming much larger,\u201d Djoko stated\nfrankly.<\/p>\n
FAR MORE EXPENSIVE<\/p>\n
MTI observes that cuts in the transport safety sector are far more\nexpensive than investments in prevention. Moreover, accidents so far are\ndominated by productive-age citizens (17\u201345 years) at 58%.<\/p>\n
Loss of lives in that age range, according to National Police Traffic\nCorps data, from 1 January to 31 December 2025, are as follows: traffic\naccident victims under 17 years old reached 15%. Ages 17\u201325 years (25%),\nages 26\u201345 years (33%), and ages 46\u201365 years (22%).<\/p>\n
Accidents are highest caused by motorcycles, namely 76.6%. From the\npresented data, it increasingly raises concerns that consecutive\naccidents will create a sense of insecurity for the public in using\npublic transport.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf public transport is considered unsafe and eventually stops\noperating due to minimal safety guarantees from the government, people\nin remote areas will become increasingly economically and educationally\nisolated,\u201d he stated frankly.<\/p>\n
Therefore, once again MTI assesses that public safety programmes need\nserious attention, because they are an investment and not a burden. All\nstate efforts to produce superior humans through the Free Nutritious\nMeals (MBG) programme as well as strengthening education in People\u2019s\nSchools and Garuda Schools will feel in vain if the lifeline of mobility\nto ensure transport safety is eroded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/budget-cuts-to-transport-safety-threaten-public-safety-1774500690", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }