ROAD DEATHS were up by 18 per cent in 2011 compared to the previous year, rising from 60 to 71. While nobody would be pleased with these figures they are still an improvement on a few years ago when the number of people killed on the roads annually usually exceeded 100.
Overall our roads have become safer, even though there is still room for improvement. The road safety campaigns have had an effect, gradually instilling in people the need to drive more carefully and show more consideration for other road users. Young drivers, however, remain a concern as they are over-represented in the fatalities statistics – some 40 per cent of people killed on the roads are under 25 – and the authorities need to think of ways of reducing these numbers. Perhaps, the licence of an under-25 should be confiscated on the completion of fewer penalty points (eight instead of 12) as a way of protecting the young and reckless.
Perhaps this would be addressed by the authorities when pursuing the EU strategy for reducing all traffic accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020. Communications and Works Minister, Efthymios Flourentzos, speaking about the government’s road safety plans earlier this week, said that fines for traffic violations would be increased this year. Although he did not like the idea of improving road safety through heavier fines, he was pragmatic enough to accept that the fear of punishment works.
The points system for traffic violations, which was introduced several years ago, has contributed to better road behaviour as repeat offenders run the risk of losing their licence. Road safety campaigns may encourage people to drive more carefully over the longer term, but the fear of harsh punishment has more immediate results.
This is why it is an imperative to re-introduce the traffic cameras, which brought about a big improvement in road behaviour during the brief period they had been in operation. Why is it taking so long for the government to sign a contract for traffic cameras? Their operation would not only improve road safety, but also limit bad road behaviour such as driving through red lights, which we see much too often, and speeding through residential areas.
A combination of more campaigns, heavier fines and cameras would also contribute towards the better protection of the more vulnerable road users – cyclists, pedestrians and motor-cyclists – which Flourentzos mentioned as one of his ministry priorities. Reducing road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020 is not an unrealistic target, but the authorities must keep up their efforts and not be afraid to introduce unpopular measures such as heavier fines and traffic cameras.
