Speeding blamed as Moldova's road deaths rise by 10% this year
Over 1,100 road accidents were recorded in the first seven months of this year, resulting in 1,334 injuries and 111 fatalities.
Compared to the same period last year, the number of deaths has increased by approximately 10 percent, stated Iurie Racu, head of the Traffic Accident Reporting and Analysis Section of the National Inspectorate of Public Security, during the "Public Space" program on Radio Moldova.
According to Racu, the majority of road accidents occur within Chișinău municipality.
"If we refer to the statistical data, 42.89% of all road accidents nationwide during this period were registered in Chișinău municipality. Specifically, 474 road traffic accidents were classified as incidents with minor and serious consequences, resulting in 14 deaths and 529 injuries. If we break it down by city or municipality, the next is Ungheni, where 60 road accidents occurred, resulting in 12 deaths and 105 injuries, followed by Telenești, Sângerei, and Criuleni," Racu specified.
Higher fines could be a solution to reducing the number of accidents, but each of us must take responsibility and follow the Road Traffic Regulations, said Virginia Mandalac, coordinator of the "Automobile Club Moldova" project.
"Of course, these increases in fines are welcome because, for the most part, to educate someone, it is often the stick that works, not the carrot, unfortunately. The National Inspectorate of Public Security does its job by being consistently present and observing how well drivers comply with the law, but we must not forget that road safety involves not just drivers and police officers. Once we step outside, both you and I, and every one of us, become participants in road traffic. All of us, absolutely all, are pedestrians, and it is crucial that these preventive actions also include educational activities for pedestrians," Mandalac stated.
According to statistical data, last year 1,980 road accidents were recorded, resulting in 197 fatalities. Nearly 40 percent of accidents are caused by speeding drivers. Moreover, every other traffic-related death is attributed to excessive speed.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
