20% of monthly traffic victims children, say Jakarta Police

20% of monthly traffic victims children, say Jakarta Police

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

Around 50 children in the Greater Jakarta area are killed in
traffic accidents every month, or an estimated 20 percent of
total victims, according to Jakarta Police data.

"The number is devastating. As part of our efforts to minimize
the number, we have tried to foster knowledge on road safety
among children," city police head of traffic Sr. Comr. Sulistyo
Ishak said on Wednesday.

The latest data shows that 268 people died in traffic
accidents from January to April, while 536 suffered serious
injuries and 440 suffered minor injuries. Sulistyo did not
provide details on the number of child fatalities.

The city police have long ran a quarterly program called
Police, Friends of Children, under which they invite kindergarten
and elementary school students to headquarters to teach them
about traffic signs and regulations and the work of traffic
police.

"Besides this program, we also cooperate with schools in road
safety campaigns. However, it will be better if it is included in
the national curriculum," Sulistyo said.

A team of two to three traffic police visits schools every day
to disseminate information on traffic regulations and safety.

The police's efforts in promoting road safety, especially to
children, however, has yet to attain the desired effect.

In actuality, many parents seem do not to be aware of road
safety, even in regards their own children.

Throughout the city, for example, entire families can be seen
riding motorcycles, including their children -- even infants --
although this is a blatant traffic violation. Traffic regulations
limit the capacity of motorcycles to two riders, including the
driver.

Many motorcyclists also do not wear helmets as required by
law, nor do they provide helmets for their children. Even if the
adults are wearing helmets, they sometimes neglect helmets for
their children.

The parents' driving is also undisciplined, and it is rare
that motorists install special car seats for their toddlers or
specially designed safety belts for children. Many fathers even
seat their children on their laps while driving, with the child
holding onto the steering wheel for support.

A report from the World Health Organization (WHO) issued this
year on traffic injury prevention cited a study in the United
States that the use of child safety belts had made a significant
impact in reducing the rate of child fatalities in traffic
accidents: by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among
young children.

However, the WHO report also showed that the use of such
special equipment was popular only in high-income countries such
as Australia, where the usage rate of toddler's car seats and
child safety belts reaches 90 percent, and in the United States
at 86 percent.

Road Safety is No Accident was the United Nations' theme for
World Health Day 2004, which fell on April 7.