Moldovan cabinet informs about radical measures to prevent, combat road traffic accidents

Chisinau, 10 October /MOLDPRES/ – The confiscation of the car, prohibition of advertising on alcoholic beverages and their sale in filling stations, increase of excise duties on spirits, as well as establishment of a communication platform between the responsible public authorities and civil society.

Only a few of the proposals discussed today at the meeting of the National Council for Road Traffic Safety, chaired by Prime Minister, Maia Sandu, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.

The event presented the accidental situation from the beginning of 2019 to the present, including the tragedy that took place last week at the intersection of streets Alba Iulia and Onisifor Ghibu, in which two persons died and 22 other ones were injured. At the same time, the representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI), Ministry of Economy (ME), Ministry of Justice (MJ), Ministry of Healthcare (MS) and General Prosecutor's Office (PG) came up with a set of proposals to change the regulatory framework, but also presented new measures to ensure road safety on national roads. These ones include: development of road accident investigation capabilities, granting of driving licences and driving restrictions in stages (beginners are not allowed to drive a car with over 200 horsepower, rear – wheel drive), but also a review of the way of stationing and starting the public transport means.

In addition, there was talk about lighting, including with the help of solar batteries, pedestrian crossings on national roads and about obtaining investments for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads with high risk of accident.

It will be given more attention to informing children, pupils, students about their conduct on pedestrian crossing and road transport by distributing special materials to 2,625 school institutions, but also establishing mandatory hours of road safety.

PM Maia Sandu called on institutions empowered to take urgent measures to reduce the number of accidents on national routes and insisted on launching an info campaign covering all aspects: alcoholism at driving, excessive speed, putting of seat belts, compulsory use of the car seat for children and permanent education of pedestrians.

"I should forfeit the right to drive the car for those which drive drunk. If we collect all the expenses incurred as a result of an accident, but also the rehabilitation of the victims, there are not four lives, for the guilty one, to return all these costs”, said Maia Sandu.

According to the statistics presented by the automated info system – Road Accident Register (RAR), this year, the number of road accidents has decreased by almost 3 per cent, the number of persons which lost their lives was reduced by 10 per cent, and the number of traumatised ones has decreased by almost 7 per cent compared to the same period of 2018.

According to similar source, in 2019 it has increased the number of drivers which drive drunk and pedestrians crossing the irregular segment of road, but instead there has been a decrease in the number of drivers exceeding the speed on the roads of Moldova.

Currently, Moldova is ranked 5th in Europe in terms of road accidents.