Indonesia: Road accidents kill almost 60,000 each year

[News_Editor]

Indonesia: Road accidents kill almost 60,000 each year

2011-06-22 00:46:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Traffic accidents in Indonesia kill tens of thousands each year, and Indonesian Vice President Boediono has now launched Road Safety Decade 2011-2020 in an effort to bring that number down, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to new figures, almost 60,000 people in Indonesia are killed each year as a result of road accidents, placing the Southeast Asian country among the world's worst death rates due to vehicle accidents, Kompas reported.

With the launching of Road Safety Decade 2011-2020, Vice President Boediono said the country hopes to lower the number of road accidents, along with the resulting injuries and deaths, by promoting motorists' awareness of road safety.

The causes of road accidents are usually poor road conditions, as well as old and beat up motorcycles and vehicles which are not roadworthy. However, Boediono stated that errors and "the human factor" seemed to be the biggest cause. The Vice President underlined the seriousness of the problem, as most of the fatal victims are young Indonesians in their most productive ages.

In the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, at least 1,005 people died in 7,487 documented vehicle accidents in 2010, 12 fewer fatalities than in 2009 but 6 more than 2008's 999 deaths, according to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police.

From January to May, 299 deaths have already been attributed to traffic accidents in Jakarta. Most of the fatal victims are between 16 to 25 years old and are usually motorcyclists.

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