Denpasar's roads taking a heavy human toll
Denpasar's roads taking a heavy human toll
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Five-year-old Kadek Agus' short life
ended on a fateful Friday afternoon on a Sanur bypass.
A motorist slammed into him as he crossed the street. As the
critically injured boy lay motionless, his mother ran screaming
to help him.
Her efforts were in vain and grieving engulfed his family's
simple brick house by the side of the road.
"The accident took place at about 4 p.m. local time on October
13. Kadek Agus is the first 8-10 we recorded in October," Badung
traffic police chief Senior Inspector Made Suyasa said, using the
police code for a fatality.
Unfortunately, Agus' family was not alone in suffering the
loss of a loved one in a traffic accident in October.
In the following days a 47-year-old motorist was killed on Jl.
WR Supratman; a 30-year-old pedestrian died on the bypass on
Sakenan highway; a 20-year-old university student was killed on
Petang highway; a 35-year-old driver lost his life on Mengwi
highway; a 60-year-old motorist crashed into a bus and died at
Tohpati and a 25-year-old woman fell victim to a hit-and-run
accident on Jl. Buana Raya.
By Oct. 17, 2000, at least 15 people were killed and dozens
were injured in numerous traffic accidents in various parts of
Denpasar municipality and Badung regency.
"The number of accidents and fatalities has reached an
alarming level, and we are deeply concerned of the great
possibility that the number will keep increasing," Suyasa said.
Statistics bear out his concern.
In 1996 there were 147 accidents with 98 fatalities and 113
people severely injured. In 1997 the number increased to 159
accidents with 106 fatalities and 104 people severely injured.
The number rose to 199 accidents, 148 fatalities and 103 people
severely injured in 1998.
The larger picture is even more disturbing, with the total
number of fatalities caused by traffic accidents in Bali reaching
493 in 1999.
In the period January to June 2000 the number had already
reached 254 fatalities.
"If that trend continues, Bali will have some 508 fatalities
by the end of this year," Badung traffic accident unit chief
Second Inspector Nyoman Suantasa said.
Most of the accidents were caused by violations of traffic
regulations. Drivers in Bali have long been notorious for
reckless and erratic driving habits, such as their famous
zigzagging between lanes, illegally overtaking from the left,
running red lights and speeding in the slow lane.
They show little respect for pedestrians. It seems that one of
Balinese drivers and motorists' obsessions is to do their best to
prevent pedestrians from crossing the road.
From January 1999 to June 2000 Badung traffic police issued at
least 17,253 tickets for traffic violations; the total number for
the island was a staggering 26,510 tickets.
"Besides traffic violations there is also a problem of traffic
safety, which contributed greatly to the number of traffic
accident fatalities," Suyasa added.
At least 24 percent of traffic accident fatalities involving
motorbikes were not wearing helmets, and the rest wore
nonstandard helmets. Most vehicle drivers also continue to
consider seatbelts as an aberration.
The Badung traffic police are also dealing with a glut of
vehicles on the street. There are currently 407,064 motorized
vehicles, 306,752 of them motorbikes, on the streets of Denpasar
and Badung.
"The total length of the roads in Denpasar and Badung is only
1,013.62 kilometers. This overpopulation problem is not only
causing heavy traffic congestion, but also increasing the
probability of traffic accidents," Suyasa said.
With only 205 personnel, 15 patrol cars and 16 patrol
motorbikes, the Badung traffic police unit is burdened with the
responsibility of managing daily traffic, enforcing traffic
regulations, increasing people's awareness and decreasing the
number of traffic accidents.
"We would be very happy if the number of traffic accidents
decreased 10 percent each year," Suyasa said.
The decrease, no matter how small the percentage, would
unquestionably save several families from the suffering of Kadek
Agus' loved ones. (zen)