* Accidents and victims continue to increase
*Zero tolerance for risk behaviors
Road accidents in Colombia continue to rise. This weekend, for example, the collision of a dump truck with a bus in the vicinity of Villa de Leyva, in Boyacá, left three people dead, including two minors.
Unfortunately, accidents on the roads have been increasing. In fact, the National Road Safety Agency indicated days ago that between January and June 2023 more than 4,029 people died from this cause, which represents an increase of 6.5% compared to the same period in 2022. In turn, the A periodic report from the Ministry of Defense warns that in the first seven months of this year that number of fatalities on the roads amounts to 4,135 people and more than 28,000 injuries.
The balance, as seen, is negative. Although the national, regional and local authorities have intensified their operations, programs and campaigns to ensure that the different road actors respect traffic regulations and do not risk their lives or those of others, the figures show that there is still a long way to go. way to achieve that goal.
In fact, the studies of the aforementioned agency indicate that the cities in which the number of deaths increased the most in the first semester were Bogotá, Cali, Sincelejo, Santa Marta, Yopal, Neiva, Villavicencio, Medellín, Montería and Pereira. There are also accident characterization maps that make it possible to establish which are the areas where the most tragedies occur, which road actor is the most affected, the ages of the victims, the days and hours of greatest frequency of accidents and even a classification of the most probable causes of mishaps on the roads.
For example, it is known that motorcyclists are the most involved in accidents and, at the same time, the road actors that report the most deaths and injuries, between drivers and passengers. Similarly, it has been identified that speeding is the main cause of accidents.
Added to the above is the fact that there are a series of aggravating circumstances that have not been able to be substantially corrected despite the measures taken by the authorities and the aggravation of sanctions. Such is the case of the high rates of evasion in the payment of the Compulsory Third-Party Care Insurance (SOAT) policy, despite the fact that for this year the Government applied an economic relief in the cost of the same, especially for the motorcyclists. The same occurs with the requirement of the technical-mechanical review that most vehicles must carry out annually to be authorized to transit. The large number of automobiles that do not have this inspection up to date is shocking. As if that were not enough, despite the fact that the last term for several million drivers to renew their respective licenses expired last June, a considerable percentage did not do so…
Given all of the above, it is clear that the main problem in terms of compliance with traffic regulations does not lie in the need for reforms or more drastic sanctions for offenders. In reality, what is required is that drivers of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, as well as passengers and pedestrians, become aware that every time someone breaks the rules, they are endangering their lives and the lives of others.
It is imperative to pay special attention to those who mobilize on motorcycles. Last year, for example, 4,194 drivers and passengers of this type of vehicle died, while in the first half of 2023 the number of victims (2,502) already increased by 13% compared to the same period in 2022. It is clear, Likewise, they are the road actor that most evades the SOAT payment and the technical-mechanical review.
What else can be done to stop the increase in accidents? As mentioned, the authorities have increased programs, checkpoints, technological equipment, and citizen campaigns. The penalties for those who behave irresponsibly and recklessly on the roads are already high. The controls and demands have also been tightened when it comes to processing driving licenses or renewing them. Automotive diagnostic centers were also tightened… All of this must be maintained and strengthened. However, the main focus should be the awareness of drivers, cyclists, passengers and pedestrians: zero tolerance for risky behaviors and immediate reporting of offenders.