Denpasar's roads taking a heavy human toll<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Five-year-old Kadek Agus' short life
\nended on a fateful Friday afternoon on a Sanur bypass.<\/p>\n
A motorist slammed into him as he crossed the street. As the
\ncritically injured boy lay motionless, his mother ran screaming
\nto help him.<\/p>\n
Her efforts were in vain and grieving engulfed his family's
\nsimple brick house by the side of the road.<\/p>\n
\"The accident took place at about 4 p.m. local time on October
\n13. Kadek Agus is the first 8-10 we recorded in October,\" Badung
\ntraffic police chief Senior Inspector Made Suyasa said, using the
\npolice code for a fatality.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Agus' family was not alone in suffering the
\nloss of a loved one in a traffic accident in October.<\/p>\n
In the following days a 47-year-old motorist was killed on Jl.
\nWR Supratman; a 30-year-old pedestrian died on the bypass on
\nSakenan highway; a 20-year-old university student was killed on
\nPetang highway; a 35-year-old driver lost his life on Mengwi
\nhighway; a 60-year-old motorist crashed into a bus and died at
\nTohpati and a 25-year-old woman fell victim to a hit-and-run
\naccident on Jl. Buana Raya.<\/p>\n
By Oct. 17, 2000, at least 15 people were killed and dozens
\nwere injured in numerous traffic accidents in various parts of
\nDenpasar municipality and Badung regency.<\/p>\n
\"The number of accidents and fatalities has reached an
\nalarming level, and we are deeply concerned of the great
\npossibility that the number will keep increasing,\" Suyasa said.<\/p>\n
Statistics bear out his concern.<\/p>\n
In 1996 there were 147 accidents with 98 fatalities and 113
\npeople severely injured. In 1997 the number increased to 159
\naccidents with 106 fatalities and 104 people severely injured.
\nThe number rose to 199 accidents, 148 fatalities and 103 people
\nseverely injured in 1998.<\/p>\n
The larger picture is even more disturbing, with the total
\nnumber of fatalities caused by traffic accidents in Bali reaching
\n493 in 1999.<\/p>\n
In the period January to June 2000 the number had already
\nreached 254 fatalities.<\/p>\n
\"If that trend continues, Bali will have some 508 fatalities
\nby the end of this year,\" Badung traffic accident unit chief
\nSecond Inspector Nyoman Suantasa said.<\/p>\n
Most of the accidents were caused by violations of traffic
\nregulations. Drivers in Bali have long been notorious for
\nreckless and erratic driving habits, such as their famous
\nzigzagging between lanes, illegally overtaking from the left,
\nrunning red lights and speeding in the slow lane.<\/p>\n
They show little respect for pedestrians. It seems that one of
\nBalinese drivers and motorists' obsessions is to do their best to
\nprevent pedestrians from crossing the road.<\/p>\n
From January 1999 to June 2000 Badung traffic police issued at
\nleast 17,253 tickets for traffic violations; the total number for
\nthe island was a staggering 26,510 tickets.<\/p>\n
\"Besides traffic violations there is also a problem of traffic
\nsafety, which contributed greatly to the number of traffic
\naccident fatalities,\" Suyasa added.<\/p>\n
At least 24 percent of traffic accident fatalities involving
\nmotorbikes were not wearing helmets, and the rest wore
\nnonstandard helmets. Most vehicle drivers also continue to
\nconsider seatbelts as an aberration.<\/p>\n
The Badung traffic police are also dealing with a glut of
\nvehicles on the street. There are currently 407,064 motorized
\nvehicles, 306,752 of them motorbikes, on the streets of Denpasar
\nand Badung.<\/p>\n
\"The total length of the roads in Denpasar and Badung is only
\n1,013.62 kilometers. This overpopulation problem is not only
\ncausing heavy traffic congestion, but also increasing the
\nprobability of traffic accidents,\" Suyasa said.<\/p>\n
With only 205 personnel, 15 patrol cars and 16 patrol
\nmotorbikes, the Badung traffic police unit is burdened with the
\nresponsibility of managing daily traffic, enforcing traffic
\nregulations, increasing people's awareness and decreasing the
\nnumber of traffic accidents.<\/p>\n
\"We would be very happy if the number of traffic accidents
\ndecreased 10 percent each year,\" Suyasa said.<\/p>\n
The decrease, no matter how small the percentage, would
\nunquestionably save several families from the suffering of Kadek
\nAgus' loved ones. (zen)<\/p>",
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