Road Accident Deaths Down, Injuries up in 2018
By Tea Mariamidze
Tuesday, May 7
2018 was distinguished with the lowest rate of traffic accident mortality in the last decade with 459 cases, which is 11% less compared to 2017, however, the number of car accidents increased by 6% and the number of injured citizens – by 7%.
In total, last year the number of road accidents in Georgia amounted to 6 452 while 9 047 persons were injured.
As for the number of traffic accidents worldwide, approximately 1.35 million people die and 50 million more people suffer non-fatal injuries each year as a result of road traffic crashes.
Moreover, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years.
The information was released at the opening of the Fifth United Nations Global Road Safety Week in Tbilisi on May 6.
The event is being held with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and in partnership with the non-governmental organization Georgia's Alliance for Safe Roads.
The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Nino Javakhadze spoke about the situation in the direction of road safety and introduced planned events, which are being carried out by the Ministry within the frames of the social campaign – For More Life.
“Road safety is one of the most important priorities for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the government. In 2018, the death toll in the last decade was the lowest in mortality but 459 lost lives are still too many. Therefore, it is a priority for us to reduce the number of road accidents,” she said.
Deputy Minister added that by the end of the year, the ministry will have installed around 5,000 cameras on the roads which will detect the people and their vehicles that violate the safety norms.
“We are planning to further tighten the sanctions. And we will increase the number of patrol police crews first in Tbilisi and then throughout the whole country,” she said.
Javakhadze stated in case of speeding and drunk driving the tightened measures will include higher fines and reduction of the driving license points too.
The event was organized by the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health under the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and was attended by the representatives of the Ministry of the Economy, Interior Ministry, MPs, and the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia.
