Road accidents on the rise in 1996

Road accidents on the rise in 1996

JAKARTA (JP): The number of reported road accidents in the
capital increased this year to 1,364, up from 1,123 in 1995.

City police figures also show that 563 people died on the
roads this year, compared to 462 last year. Similar to last year,
when 786 were seriously injured, 771 this year suffered serious
accident inflicted wounds. Material losses reached Rp 1.69
billion (US$704,116).

The worst accident occurred on March 23, when 29 passengers
were killed in a Kramatdjati bus that caught fire after colliding
with several other cars on the Jagorawi toll road. All 29 were
killed instantly, as were two people whose car was parked on the
side of the road when it was hit by the bus. Dozens were injured.

Like many other inter-city buses, the Kramatdjati bus did not
have an emergency exit. The passengers trampled each other in a
frantic rush to the only exit, which could only be opened by
pressing a button next to the driver if the ignition was on. The
bus driver, Agus Arifin, had already climbed out of the driver's
exit.

He was charged with reckless driving leading to the loss of
life, and also for taking illegal barbiturates before the fatal
trip. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Maybe some of the blame should have been shared by the drivers
of the three cars parked on the tollway shoulder. Two vehicles
were waiting for the driver of another car to fill his radiator
with water. They were all together -- a group of police officers
and their families -- on their way to a picnic.

Regardless of whose fault it was, not even the loss of so many
lives, including two children, was enough to whip bus company
owners into action. Most could only come up with excuses when
asked why they did not have proper safety devices in their buses,
and many could not even say for sure if they would install any.

They said they were not aware of the 1994 Traffic Law, which
stipulates that all public transport vehicles must have emergency
exits and certain safety devices.

Some owners said they were reluctant to install safety devices
because passengers sometimes press emergency buttons for fun and
open doors on the freeway.

At least one company, CV Lorena Transport and Tour, has taken
heed of the Kramatdjati accident and begun installing emergency
exits and surveillance devices for its 200-strong fleet.

As for air-conditioned city buses, the bus owners have gone to
great lengths to include warnings such as Pecahkan kaca dalam
keadaan darurat (Smash window in case of emergency) but have
failed to provide anything to break the windows.

In an effort to enforce the 1994 Traffic Law, police launched
several operations in 1996. The effectiveness of the operations,
however, was minimal due to the little trust that the public
places in its officials, many of whom can still be "persuaded" to
be lenient for a price.

The core of the problem, say road safety researchers at the
Ministry of Public Works, is low safety awareness. Poor awareness
is still the main traffic killer in the country, which sees an
average of 10,000 accidents a year.

Traffic experts from Sweden, who shared their experience with
traffic police and other experts here, said promoting safety
awareness among road users, road builders and road planners takes
time and that "sacrifices" are to be expected.

Holidays were again a peak accident time. Twenty were killed
and at least nine were injured in separate accidents during the
Idul Fitri holidays in February, when the city's migrants rush
home to meet relatives and then rush back to the cities where
they work.

Frequent accidents on the toll roads show that most drivers
have forgotten the requirements announced when the roads were
first introduced. Few bother to check their wheels or engines
before driving.

A representative for the state-run highway corporation, PT
Jasa Marga, said that more than 100 accidents took place on toll
roads this year when the weather was fine; human error, including
drowsy drivers, were to blame.

On March 5, an overloaded bus overturned and exploded on the
Merak-Jakarta toll road. Six people were burned to death and 37
others were injured.

On July 14, six were killed and 26 seriously injured when two
intercity buses collided on the Cikampek-Jakarta toll road. The
driver of one of the buses was reportedly drowsy, the other
driver had been driving recklessly.

In October alone 14 were killed on the 73-kilometer Jakarta-
Cikampek toll road.

Hikmat Iskandar, a researcher on road safety with the Ministry
of Public Works, said most drive faster than the limit of 100
kilometers per hour.

During the upcoming holiday season, traffic officials say they
will be watching extra carefully. Several areas favored by hair-
raising speeders are: near Monas, the old runways around the
Kemayoran fairgrounds, downtown Kota, Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl.
Jend. Sudirman, and the wide roads around Kalibata, Taman Mini
Indonesia Indah and Pulomas.

Meanwhile, seat belt fastening is a habit that has yet to
catch on. (anr)