Filenews 8 July 2023
An unprecedented decrease of 50% in fatal road collisions was recorded in the first half of 2023, which satisfies the Police, which will intensify its measures so that the reduction continues throughout the year.
The Traffic Police and the Police in general are pleased with this significant reduction, however, there is no complacency. June last year turned out to be black, with 10 fatal road collisions occurring.
According to data from the Traffic Department at the Police Headquarters, from January 1 until today there have been 13 fatal collisions with 13 fatalities. In the same period last year, there were 24 fatal collisions with 26 fatalities. In other words, we have 11 fewer collisions or 45.8% and 13 victims less or 50% reduction. This decrease, for the first time since the establishment of the Republic, is noted and attributed both to traffic cameras and to the intensification of measures and controls applied nationwide by the members of the Traffic Police and the "Z" team. of the Police.
As the spokesman of the Police, Christos Andreou, told "F", if it is calculated that last year we had an 18% reduction in fatal accidents, then the decrease last year and this year is even greater. Asked to say what is the reason for this significant reduction in road collisions, Mr. Andreou listed a series of reasons and actions taken by the Police that seem to be paying off. As he said, actions continue at an intensive pace to control drivers regarding the main causes leading to deaths on the roads. In particular, he mentioned alcohol and drug checks, speeding, belt and helmet for motorcyclists.
The police spokesman added that the advent of cameras also seems to have had a positive effect on reducing deaths on the roads, since drivers began to comply and not run. It seems that both mobile and fixed cameras work preventively, Mr. Andreou observed, stressing that since a driver knows that at any time on any road he will be reported by a camera, he now complies with the rules of the Road Traffic Code.
He noted that lectures in schools and camps on the dangers on the roads are also intensifying, while hundreds of children pass through the Traffic Education Park in order to gain road awareness.
According to data provided to "F" by the assistant director of the Traffic Department at the Police Headquarters, Haris Evripidou, the 13 victims on the roads this year per category were: Two pedestrians, five car drivers, two car passengers and four motorcyclists. Also, of the 13 dead, five or 38.4% were foreigners.
There has been a significant decrease this year not only in deaths, but also in serious injuries. According to the data of the Traffic Police, from 1/1-30/4/23 we have 53 seriously injured, compared to 75 in 2022. In other words, we have 22 fewer seriously injured or 29.3%. Per district, 11 fewer serious injuries were recorded in Limassol, eight fewer in Larnaca, five fewer in Morfou, one fewer in Nicosia and only in Famagusta five more were recorded.
The largest decrease in casualties on the roads is recorded in Limassol, since this year we had five fewer deaths compared to last year at the same time. Specifically, while in the first half of 2021 there had been three fatal road collisions with three fatalities, in the same period in 2022 there had been eight fatal collisions with nine fatalities. This year we have had four collisions with four fatalities, which is five victims less.
In the Nicosia district, in the first half of 2021, six fatal road collisions were recorded with seven fatalities, in 2022 there were five fatalities with six fatalities, while this year five fatalities with five fatalities, ie we have one fatality less. For Larnaka, the data show two fatalities in 2021 with an equal number of deaths, four in 2022 with four deaths and this year one fatal with one fatality, i.e. a decrease of three victims. In Paphos, in 2021 we had two fatal road collisions with two fatalities, the same in 2022, while this year we had one dead in a fatal collision. In the free province of Famagusta, in 2021 a fatal one occurred with one fatality, in 2022 there were five victims in an equal number of clashes and this year there were two fatalities with two fatalities. Finally, in Morfou, in 2021 we had one dead and no victims in 2022 and this year.
The decline started last year
Before the cameras came along, they were demonized, it was seen as a government tax collection measure, and there was a lot of discussion about how drivers are controlled. Even today, drivers react strongly to where vans with mobile cameras are placed, however, even this noise is considered to act as a deterrent for drivers, resulting in a large decrease this year in fatalities.
Many are shouting because mobile vans do not install warning signs as required by law, while recently at a meeting the Chief of Police gave instructions to ask mobile camera operators not to hide or break the law. Also, the Police are considering announcing the streets that will be policed by cameras (not the exact spot).
According to data recently provided to Parliament by the Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafeadis, from December 1, 2022 until May 17, 2023, the number of road violations recorded by fixed and mobile cameras in total reaches 213,603. Of these, 181,920 have been mailed and 67,362 have been paid out of court. These statistics include letters to companies to indicate the offending driver and notices of complaints to Court. Under processing by the contractor, there are 10,419 road traffic violations, while the number of violations for approval by the Police amounts to 6,220. The completed violations at the printing stage are 1,998 and the problematic cases such as missing and/or incorrect data, etc., amount to 13,046.
As announced by the Ministers of Transport and Justice when signing the contracts with the American company that manages the cameras, the system is one of the main tools for policing, creating appropriate driving behavior and proper use of the Highway Code. It is an essential step in the overall effort to prevent and reduce road collisions.
POINT OF VIEW
Necessary evil the cameras
Whichever way you look at it, the cameras brought the big reduction in deaths on the streets. We may not like to be policed, we may disagree with the way operators sometimes set up their vans, but one thing is admitted: We have 13 fewer deaths this year.
That's why cameras when properly installed are a tool to help save lives. Because, truth be told, the Cypriot driver, if left unchecked, thinks that the road belongs to him. With sad consequences. What is essential is that checks by mobile cameras be carried out correctly, without trapping drivers, if those responsible really mean that the aim is prevention. And it is right to think that the roads to be policed should be announced.
