New traffic law still ineffective: National Police
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)