Road accidents on the rise in 1996<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The number of reported road accidents in the
\ncapital increased this year to 1,364, up from 1,123 in 1995.<\/p>\n
City police figures also show that 563 people died on the
\nroads this year, compared to 462 last year. Similar to last year,
\nwhen 786 were seriously injured, 771 this year suffered serious
\naccident inflicted wounds. Material losses reached Rp 1.69
\nbillion (US$704,116).<\/p>\n
The worst accident occurred on March 23, when 29 passengers
\nwere killed in a Kramatdjati bus that caught fire after colliding
\nwith several other cars on the Jagorawi toll road. All 29 were
\nkilled instantly, as were two people whose car was parked on the
\nside of the road when it was hit by the bus. Dozens were injured.<\/p>\n
Like many other inter-city buses, the Kramatdjati bus did not
\nhave an emergency exit. The passengers trampled each other in a
\nfrantic rush to the only exit, which could only be opened by
\npressing a button next to the driver if the ignition was on. The
\nbus driver, Agus Arifin, had already climbed out of the driver's
\nexit.<\/p>\n
He was charged with reckless driving leading to the loss of
\nlife, and also for taking illegal barbiturates before the fatal
\ntrip. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.<\/p>\n
Maybe some of the blame should have been shared by the drivers
\nof the three cars parked on the tollway shoulder. Two vehicles
\nwere waiting for the driver of another car to fill his radiator
\nwith water. They were all together -- a group of police officers
\nand their families -- on their way to a picnic.<\/p>\n
Regardless of whose fault it was, not even the loss of so many
\nlives, including two children, was enough to whip bus company
\nowners into action. Most could only come up with excuses when
\nasked why they did not have proper safety devices in their buses,
\nand many could not even say for sure if they would install any.<\/p>\n
They said they were not aware of the 1994 Traffic Law, which
\nstipulates that all public transport vehicles must have emergency
\nexits and certain safety devices.<\/p>\n
Some owners said they were reluctant to install safety devices
\nbecause passengers sometimes press emergency buttons for fun and
\nopen doors on the freeway.<\/p>\n
At least one company, CV Lorena Transport and Tour, has taken
\nheed of the Kramatdjati accident and begun installing emergency
\nexits and surveillance devices for its 200-strong fleet.<\/p>\n
As for air-conditioned city buses, the bus owners have gone to
\ngreat lengths to include warnings such as Pecahkan kaca dalam
\nkeadaan darurat (Smash window in case of emergency) but have
\nfailed to provide anything to break the windows.<\/p>\n
In an effort to enforce the 1994 Traffic Law, police launched
\nseveral operations in 1996. The effectiveness of the operations,
\nhowever, was minimal due to the little trust that the public
\nplaces in its officials, many of whom can still be \"persuaded\" to
\nbe lenient for a price.<\/p>\n
The core of the problem, say road safety researchers at the
\nMinistry of Public Works, is low safety awareness. Poor awareness
\nis still the main traffic killer in the country, which sees an
\naverage of 10,000 accidents a year.<\/p>\n
Traffic experts from Sweden, who shared their experience with
\ntraffic police and other experts here, said promoting safety
\nawareness among road users, road builders and road planners takes
\ntime and that \"sacrifices\" are to be expected.<\/p>\n
Holidays were again a peak accident time. Twenty were killed
\nand at least nine were injured in separate accidents during the
\nIdul Fitri holidays in February, when the city's migrants rush
\nhome to meet relatives and then rush back to the cities where
\nthey work.<\/p>\n
Frequent accidents on the toll roads show that most drivers
\nhave forgotten the requirements announced when the roads were
\nfirst introduced. Few bother to check their wheels or engines
\nbefore driving.<\/p>\n
A representative for the state-run highway corporation, PT
\nJasa Marga, said that more than 100 accidents took place on toll
\nroads this year when the weather was fine; human error, including
\ndrowsy drivers, were to blame.<\/p>\n
On March 5, an overloaded bus overturned and exploded on the
\nMerak-Jakarta toll road. Six people were burned to death and 37
\nothers were injured.<\/p>\n
On July 14, six were killed and 26 seriously injured when two
\nintercity buses collided on the Cikampek-Jakarta toll road. The
\ndriver of one of the buses was reportedly drowsy, the other
\ndriver had been driving recklessly.<\/p>\n
In October alone 14 were killed on the 73-kilometer Jakarta-
\nCikampek toll road.<\/p>\n
Hikmat Iskandar, a researcher on road safety with the Ministry
\nof Public Works, said most drive faster than the limit of 100
\nkilometers per hour.<\/p>\n
During the upcoming holiday season, traffic officials say they
\nwill be watching extra carefully. Several areas favored by hair-
\nraising speeders are: near Monas, the old runways around the
\nKemayoran fairgrounds, downtown Kota, Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl.
\nJend. Sudirman, and the wide roads around Kalibata, Taman Mini
\nIndonesia Indah and Pulomas.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, seat belt fastening is a habit that has yet to
\ncatch on. (anr)<\/p>",
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