Roads stay thirst for blood in 1999

Roads stay thirst for blood in 1999

SEMARANG: The number of traffic accidents remained high in the
country over the past year, with a whopping death toll serving
notice to holiday revelers bound for their hometowns.

Chief of Central Java Police's traffic directorate Col. Utjin
Sudiana revealed over the weekend that 538 accidents occurred on
roads across the province throughout last year, leaving 624
people dead and 1,121 injured.

Separately, chief of Southeast Sulawesi Police Col. Soeroso
said 220 people were killed in 280 traffic accidents in 1999,
with negligence and inadequate traffic signs blamed for the lives
claimed. He said the provincial police had written to the local
traffic and land transportation agency to replace the old signs.

Riau Police, meanwhile, reported 379 road accidents throughout
last year, which left 325 people dead and 416 injured. Chief of
the oil rich province's police Brig. Gen. Mochammad Arifin Rachim
attributed the traffic accidents mostly to human errors.

Both Utjin and Soeroso said that although their respective
provinces saw a decline in the number of fatalities, the death
toll still "sparks a grave concern". Not to mention the resulting
financial losses which reached Rp 90 billion in the three
provinces alone, Antara reported. (amd)