Filenews 17 February 2024
Shocking are the findings from analyses of the causes of last year's 32 fatal road collisions with 34 deaths. According to the examination of all data by the Traffic Department of the Police, 11 driver deaths out of a total of 20 last year are due to careless and negligent driving with the main cause being the use of mobile phones while driving.
At the same time, despite the decrease of three fatalities compared to 2022, however, the Traffic Police is concerned by the fact that pedestrian traffic victims increased, one in three fatalities was a foreign permanent resident of Cyprus, while the largest increase in deaths was recorded in the district of Larnaka. On the positive side, there has been a reduction in motorcycle driver or passenger casualties and the fact that no tourists were killed last year. Something that is attributed to the good information that is done. Also, from the analysis of all the data, it seems that for three months last year no life was lost on the roads, while in the very recent past, we had four or five deaths per week.
Data from the analysis of fatal road collisions for 2023 were recently given to the Road Safety Council, which may at some point also address the issue of increasing the extrajudicial fee for mobile phone use while driving. Today the extrajudicial fee for not being free hands while driving is €150 and if the offence is repeated in the next two years the fine is doubled. As observed, there is a general violation of the legislation concerning the non-use of a mobile or other object while driving, since the complaints of the Traffic Police show an increase. The fact that there is no compliance with the law, and in particular, due to the unprecedented number of victims who were driving and holding their mobile phones in their hands, leads officials to consider other measures for drivers to comply.
As the assistant head of the Traffic Police, Haris Evripidou, told "F", there seems to be widespread use of mobile phones while driving, which poses deadly risks. The Traffic Police will intensify its checks on mobile phone use in 2024, in an effort to reduce traffic collisions due to this cause. Asked how it is established that a driver of a traffic accident was driving using his mobile phone, Mr. Evripidou said that this can be verified when other causes are excluded, either by the testimony of someone who saw him, or by checking his phone during which it appears whether at the time of the incident he was talking or sending a message or his phone was active.
According to the fatality analysis, in 2023 there were three fewer fatal collisions with three fewer fatalities than in 2022. Last year there were 32 clashes with 34 victims, the lowest number since 1960. In the districts of Limassol and Famagusta a significant decrease was observed. In Limassol last year we had nine victims compared to 14 in 2022 and in Famagusta three against five. In Nicosia and Paphos they remained at the same levels as in 2022. An increase was observed in Larnaka District, and six of the 10 fatalities were caused on a motorway. In Morfou there were no casualties in 2023, as in 2022.
In terms of months, the worst are January and December, when the most clashes occurred, with six deaths every month. Five fatalities were caused in July, September and October. During February, June and August no fatal collisions occurred.
Most road collisions occurred during the afternoon hours, between 12:00 and 20:00 (18 out of 32 fatalities).
Most victims were drivers or passengers of saloon vehicles. Specifically, 15 drivers with five passengers out of a total of 34 dead were killed on the asphalt. Seven fatalities were pedestrians and the number is still higher than in previous years. A significant decrease was recorded in motorcyclists after five lives were lost last year compared to 11 in 2022 and 12 in 2021.
At the same time, 12 of the 34 victims (35.3%) were foreigners who reside permanently (workers, students, etc.), while it is noteworthy that no tourists were killed last year in a traffic accident.
Reduction of alcohol-drug deaths
They helped photo-tagging and intensify targeted audits and campaigns
A significant decrease was also recorded last year in deaths caused by alcohol and drug use. According to the data of the Traffic Police, we had only two cases. The remaining cases continue to be related to traffic violations such as turning right, traffic light violation, illegal overtaking and traffic sign violations.
It was also found that three out of seven cases of pedestrians who died being swept away by a passing vehicle were their own fault and specifically in the way they crossed the road.
The decrease in deaths in the last two years (in 2022 it had risen to 18%) is largely attributed to the advent of the photo-tagging system, the well-known cameras. However, it is also linked to the intensification of targeted checks and campaigns on the part of the Police. Due to the cameras, police officers are more closely involved in checking drivers on the roads, the "Z" team has been set up, whose members use large motorcycles and can move quickly and immediately, while campaigns are now being carried out to identify specific offences that are responsible for causing road traffic collisions.
It is noted that there is much debate about whether the extrajudicial fee for violation of the red light should be reduced or increased. While before the quadruple fatality in Limassol the trend prevailing in Parliament and the Ministry of Transport was to reduce or at least remain at current levels, however, after the sad traffic accident the treatment of the violation changed. A proposal for a law has already been submitted so that anyone who stops his vehicle within the pedestrian crossing area at lights and beyond, will be punished with an extrajudicial €500, if voted by Parliament.
The picture this year
In 2024, to date we have four conflicts, two fewer than in 2023 and seven casualties, one more than in 2023. It is noted that the seven dead include the victims of the quadruple in Limassol, in which an entire family was wiped out in a fierce clash in the early hours of New Year's Day. For this accident, one person faces very serious charges in court.
