THE POLICE aim to end 2008 with 20 fewer road deaths than last year and they are planning to do so by applying zero tolerance to even the smallest of violations.
“In the past year, 89 people were unjustifiably and unreasonably killed on the asphalt,” Police Chief Iacovos Papacostas said during yesterday’s presentation of the force’s new strategic plan to reduce road accidents and increase road safety awareness.
This figure may have been up three on 2006, but Papacostas was keen to point out that these past two years saw figures drop the most they had in 17 years – there had been a 17.46 per cent decrease in road victims in 2007 compared to 2005.
“Today, we are announcing our decision to apply a zero tolerance policy to all traffic violations in general, without, however, depriving traffic wardens of the right to implement their discretion and judge whether to report a traffic violation or just warn the driver,” the Police Chief explained.
He added that vast efforts were being put into bringing back traffic cameras, which saw an overall 53 per cent reduction in accidents during their short operation. The cameras were switched off after a dispute with the supplier, and the police is now scrambling to bring in new ones.
Asked to comment on police using entrapment tactics – such as hiding in dark areas with their lights off aiming to catch drivers out – Papacostas said he had already given orders for these methods to stop, though in some cases they were considered a necessity.
Concluding, the Police Chief called on the public to join in with his force’s efforts to promote road safety, “because the traffic problem involves the entire public, but also each citizen individually”.
Despite an 8.64 increase in fatal road accidents – there were 88 accidents that resulted in a death during 2007 compared to 81 in 2006 – there was a 14.63 per cent decrease in road accidents in 2007.
Most road accidents took place in the Nicosia district (727), and in total there were 2,282 road accidents in Cyprus during 2007, compared to 2,673 in 2006.
In total, 89 people died on the island’s roads in 2007, three more than the year before. These included 16 pedestrians, 33 drivers, 12 passengers, eight moped drivers, 16 motorcyclists, one pillion rider and three cyclists. But there were 367 fewer serious and minor injuries.
Nicosia and Limassol had the most road deaths during 2007 – 28 and 26 respectively. The only district that saw a reduction in fatalities compared to the year before was Paphos (44.4 per cent).
The statistics showed that around one in three road victims were tourists and foreigners, something the Head of Traffic, Doros Achilleos, blamed on the police’s difficulty in reaching and communicating with foreigners to inform them on Cyprus’ Highway Code.
In total, five tourists were killed in road accidents last year, along with 21 foreign residents.
Excessive speeding was listed as the main reason behind 2007’s road deaths, being responsible for 22 fatal accidents and 23 deaths.
Irresponsible or careless driving was the second factor (11 deaths), careless right turns followed with 10 deaths and failing to give priority to main road motorists was to blame for nine road fatalities.
Excessive alcohol levels came fifth, being responsible for eight road deaths, but as Achilleos explained: “We still haven’t received all the results back from the State Laboratory, so we are expecting the percentages to be much higher and alcohol to hold a higher spot, such as third or even second in the list.”
Other factors, such as sleepiness, u-turns and drugs were to blame for a death each.
Out of the 41 car crash victims, only 19 had been wearing a seatbelt – meaning that 53.66 per cent of those killed weren’t protected.
A survey carried out by policemen standing in random corners of the capital, combined with police and state statistics, showed that 80.6 per cent of motorists generally didn’t wear a seatbelt and only 9.2 per cent of passengers wore one. Even more unnervingly, 83.3 per cent of children were not strapped into their car seats or didn’t even have special seats.
Similarly, 17 out of the 25 motorcyclists killed in 2007 were not wearing a helmet.
Strategic plan of action
The police aim to reach the following targets in 2008:
l Reduce the number of fatal accidents to 67 (from 88 in 2007)
l Reduce the number of deaths caused by road accidents to 71 (from 89)
l Reduce collisions that result in serious injuries to 569 (from 708)
l Carry out 105,000 alcohol breathalyser tests
l Present road safety lectures to 95,000 members of public
l Carry out 12 scheduled fortnightly campaigns and eight European campaigns on road safety
l Random checks on 700 vehicles
l Organise events with private organisations to promote road safety.
