Traffic accidents down from last year

Dian Kuswandini ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 10/04/2008 11:35 AM  |  National

The number of traffic accidents during this year's Idul Fitri exodus will be lower than during the holiday period last year, but accidents involving motorcycles remain prevalent, the National Police has reported.

According to police data, 836 accidents occurred nationwide between Sept. 25 and Oct. 3 this year, compared to 1,875 accidents last year in the period ending a week after Idul Fitri.

"(Accidents), as well as the number of fatalities are expected to decrease. Last year, the number of fatalities reached 798 within two weeks: Seven days before and seven days after Idul Fitri," National Police traffic division director Brig. Gen. Yudi Sushariyanto told The Jakarta Post.

"This year, 360 people have been killed in traffic accidents in the three days following Idul Fitri."

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Abubakar Nataprawira said that of this year's 836 accident victims, 451 had suffered serious injuries, while 752 had suffered mild injuries.

"Until now, the total material losses caused by these accidents is estimated at Rp 561,403,845 (US$60,043)," he said.

The police and the Transportation Ministry have said most traffic accidents involved motorcycles.

"About 65 percent of traffic accidents involve motorcycles," Yudi said.

He said as of Oct. 2, 428 motorcycle accidents had been reported.

The Transportation Ministry's director general of land transportation Iskandar Abubakar said the public had largely ignored warnings against traveling long distances via motorcycle.

"A motorcycle rider is more vulnerable to fatigue compared to other transportation modes," he said, adding that the ministry had suggested travelers instead go by bus or train to reduce traffic accidents.

"We have provided more train cars to carry motorcycles this year. This is to encourage more people to use trains."

He said he expected the police's plan to ticket motorcyclists with more than one passenger would help prevent accidents.

According to the police, as many as 29,420 motorcyclists have been ticketed during this year's Idul Fitri exodus.

"The high number of accidents involving motorcycles and the police's stricter sanctions are expected to deter travelers and prompt them to shift to other modes of transportation," Iskandar said.

The ministry estimates that some 2.5 million motorcycles will be involved in the annual journey home, a 18.08 percent increase from last year.

He said accidents were usually the result of human error, including drivers ignoring the rules of the road, carelessness or fatigue. He said poor infrastructure was also a common contributing factor.

"Almost 90 percent of accidents are caused by human error, while the rest are due to infrastructure problems."

He said the ministry was currently engaged in several highway improvement projects.

"In several accident-prone areas, like Nagrek (in West Java), the ministry will build 600-meter bypasses," Iskandar said, adding that accidents in the area had mostly occurred at railway crossings and on hilly roads.

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