New traffic law still ineffective: National Police

JAKARTA (JP): A year of implementation of the still controversial traffic law has yet to drastically reduce the number of traffic accidents and victims throughout the country.

During a meeting with officers from related institutions here yesterday, the National Police revealed that the number of traffic accidents only declined 4.20 percent to 17,234 from the 17,989 recorded in the year prior to the enforcement of the new traffic law which carries stiffer penalties for violators.

The number of deaths in the accidents rose 1.86 percent to 10,401 from the 10,211 reported during the corresponding period.

"It's an irony looking at the fact the number of fatalities is still high," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. K. Ratta commented.

The police data show that the number of injured victims dropped 10.43 percent to 22,974 from 25,650.

Ratta called on other concerned parties to help analyze the main factors causing the continuing high number of traffic accidents and victims in the country.

Police have determined that 92.52 percent of the accidents were caused by human error, particularly reckless driving, he said.

"Most of the accidents were caused by drivers of public buses," he said.

The remaining factors were the poor condition of roads, lack of traffic signs and a few environmental causes, such as fog, smoke and floods, Ratta said.

The Traffic Law No. 14, issued in 1992, came into effect on Sept. 17, 1993, after a series of heated debates between the public and the authorities on its fine scales, which have been increased in stages since the law's initial implementation.

Jakarta

The fines in Jakarta, the highest among the provinces in Indonesia, stand at between Rp 10,000 (US$4.60) and Rp 150,000, depending on the infraction.

Ratta said that during the first year of enforcement of the new law, a total of 1,215,046 people were ticketed. This brought Rp 10.18 billion into the government coffers.

The meeting at the National Police Headquarters yesterday was attended by senior officers from related institutions, including the ministries of manpower, education and justice, the Association of Public Transportation Owners (Organda), the Defense and Security Department and the Coordinating Agency for National Stability.

Led by National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman, the one-day meeting was held to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the new traffic law.

Banurusman said that the implementation of a new fine scale, which will be much higher than the current one, will have to be discussed with the related offices.

Under the 1992 law, the maximum penalty for a traffic violation is six months' imprisonment or a fine of Rp 6 million. (bsr)