Government mulls road safety plan<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Road accidents have consistently been one of the main killers
\nacross the country over the past five years, with an average of
\n27 fatalities per day.<\/p>\n
Data issued by the National Police Traffic Directorate showed
\nthat 9,856 people were killed in 13,399 accidents in 2003.<\/p>\n
According to the Directorate, recklessness and poor law
\nenforcement are primary reasons of the worryingly high number of
\nroad accidents and casualties over the last five years.<\/p>\n
Across the world, 140,000 people are involved in accidents
\nevery day, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/p>\n
Resident coordinator of the United Nations Bo Asplund said
\nWednesday that most of the fatalities in Indonesia were people
\nbetween 15 and 40 years old.<\/p>\n
Data from the National Police shows that 42 percent of all
\npeople killed in road accidents were aged between 22 and 30 years
\nand 28 percent between 31 and 40 years old.<\/p>\n
Approximately 42 percent of fatalities in road accidents are
\nmotorcyclists and 35 percent pedestrians.<\/p>\n
Asplund said this substantial loss would result in a massive
\ndecline in productivity. WHO estimates that 2 percent of the
\nnational gross domestic product was spent to cover medical bills
\nfrom accidents.<\/p>\n
Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar admitted that law enforcement
\nwas still ineffective. \"There are still police officers who do
\nnot conform to the rules,\" he said, referring to officers who
\ntook bribes to \"settle\" traffic violations on the spot.<\/p>\n
The government has been trying for years to implement safety
\nprecautions, such as the use of helmets and seatbelts, but to no
\navail. \"People only obey the law when honest policemen are
\naround,\" Da'i said.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of National
\nEducation, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of
\nResettlement and Regional Infrastructure agreed with the National
\nPolice on Wednesday that they would coordinate efforts in
\nminimizing road accidents.<\/p>\n
Health Minister Achmad Sujudi said the five ministries would
\nform a team to evaluate major accidents and determine necessary
\nimprovements. The team, named The Global Road Safety Partnership,
\nwill be set up before September.<\/p>\n
Each stakeholder will have different responsibilities. The
\nMinistry of Transportation will establish an Accident
\nInvestigation Unit in all provinces while the police are being
\ncalled upon to actually enforce the law and adopt strict
\nregulations on driving license issuance and renewal.<\/p>\n
The Health Ministry plans to set higher standards, as well as
\nto develop and implement an integrated emergency management
\nsystem to provide a timely and capable response to save lives.
\nRoad safety and safe community concepts will also be introduced
\nin all schools.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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