Mar 23 2009
Traffict accidents in Indonesia kill 30 thousand people every year
According data from Asian Development Bank (ADB), the number of traffict accidents in Indonesia resulting in death is about 30 thousand people per year. In addition, traffict accidents also caused material loss about Rp 41 trillion equivalent to 2.1% of Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Income.
Based on accident statistics released by Transportation Ministry, the road safety situation in Indonesia decrease over the years. The total number of road accidents in 2004 increased, when compared with the previous year, increased about 16, 3 % (from 17,732 cases in 2004 to 20,623 in 2005). Accidents resulting in fatal injuries increased approximately 3.6 % while the number of accidents resulting in serious injuries and minor injuries increased by 10 % and 2 %, respectively.
The high number of vehicles population combined with the high mobility of people has caused complicated traffict issues, including the high number of accidents. About 5, 1 million new motorcycle have been released every year, and 500 thousands units new cars per year, plus existing vehicles from previous years. It is estimated about 35 million vehicles circulating daily in Indonesia.
Minister of Transportation Jusman Syafii Djamal said that the high number of traffic accident resulted serious decline to the welfare of households due to larger accident befall to people who are the breadwinner of families. Therefore, in the government’s blue print 2008-2012 there are some targets to decrease number of motor vehicle accidents up to 20% of every 100,000 inhabitants, and prevent accidents that resulting in the death up to 40%.
Ellen Tangkudung from Indonesia’s Public Transport Association (MTI) stated that Indonesia’s people still lack of traffict education. As comparison, Malaysia has provided traffic socialization modules for children aged 2-4 years , in the form of picture books and VCDs/ DVDs. All are provided to teachers as tools to give education about traffic since in the early age.
As known, the mortality number due to traffic accidents on the roads globally is very high. Each year 1.2 million people killed because traffic accidents and about 50 million people have seriously injured due to traffic accidents on the road per year. The World Bank has established the Global Road Safety Partnership in February 1999 and involved many stakeholders in order to reduce the number of death toll caused by traffict accidents.
