Traffic Corps Chief: Police Must Be 'Safety Heroes' to Reduce Traffic Accidents

Head of Traffic Corps (Kakorlantas) of the Indonesian National Police, Inspector General Agus Suryonugroho, stated that traffic police officers must be ‘safety heroes’ by being more actively present on the ground to reduce traffic accident rates.

“I say that Satpas (SIM Administration Unit) and SAMSAT are merely bonuses, but fellow traffic police officers must be ‘safety heroes’,” he said.

He highlighted that traffic accidents in 2025 reached approximately 158,000 incidents with nearly 24,000 fatalities.

Although fatality rates decreased in 2026, he stressed that this should not be taken for granted.

He reiterated that road safety must remain the top priority for all traffic police personnel.

“Whatever you do, if traffic accidents remain high, there are no points. The priority is saving lives. We must reduce accident incidents,” he said.

He emphasised that traffic safety must be managed seriously through preventive and educational measures.

Moreover, he added, the United Nations (UN) has set a target to reduce traffic fatality rates by 50 per cent. He said this goal must be a priority for the entire nation, including Indonesia.

As a concrete step to reduce accidents, the force is implementing the ‘Polantas Menyapa dan Melayani’ (Traffic Police Outreach and Service) programme under the direction of General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Chief of the Indonesian National Police.

The programme focuses on a humanistic approach to the public, particularly motorcyclists, who are the most vulnerable road users in accidents.

“Most accidents involve motorcycles. The demographics are clear: young people and students. This is what we must manage,” he said.