Authorities found one way to save lives on the roads
The Presidium of the state Council on road safety, not going ten years, took place on 14 March in Yaroslavl. It remains unclear whether this city is an example of safe or, conversely, extremely dangerous roads, but from the first words it became obvious: the problem still remains one of the most acute. Lost in the decade since the accident people to populate a small town, the victims — the whole state. The Correspondent Of “Tape.ru” listened to all the reports on the state Council and came to the conclusion: the main tool in the fight for road safety the government considers tougher penalties.
Statistics for road traffic violations, improved in 2015, did not add optimism to participants of the long-awaited state Council. Participants repeatedly stressed that the improvement was due to the toughening of some articles of the administrative code, the introduction of criminal responsibility for repeated driving in a drunken state and increasing penalties. In other words, the harder the punishment the more careful drivers. Further conclusions were asking themselves.
According to police, in 2015 in Russia there was 184 thousand major accidents. On the roads of Russia killed more than 23 thousand people — the population of the settlement of city type. Survived but were injured, one thousand 231 — city of the scale of the regional center. In just the last ten years Russia’s roads has claimed the lives of 350 thousand people. Average data on the number of deaths per thousand population in Russia is 19 people, and in Western countries, for comparison, is 5-7 people.
Opening the meeting, Vladimir Putin summed up the decade: the number of accidents decreased by 12 percent, and the level of motorization in the country has increased 1.5 times. Now per thousand inhabitants account for more than 300 cars. It would seem that a great result: more cars, fewer accidents. But for those same ten years, the growth in the number of cars grew and the number of injuries on the roads: affected more than three million people. “Terrible, senseless victims. Most caused by drivers”, — concluded Putin. It is noteworthy that out of the total number of deaths on the roads a third of motorists, a third — passengers and another third were pedestrians.
Photo: Alexei Nikolsky / RIA Novosti
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Governor of the Yaroslavl region Sergey Yastrebov and assistant to the President Igor Levitin.
The sad statistics these numbers are not limited. Last year at pedestrian crossings died 1233, cites Putin. On “Zebra” the number of accidents continues to increase. 20 people died in construction zones roads. “I’m not talking about the quality of roads is a separate huge challenge in terms of funding. But the issues related to the organization of work on the roads, you can do it,” wondered the President. By the way, about the quality: a third of accidents due to poor condition of the roads, and it’s not just pits, but the lack of markings, signs and pedestrian crossings, ice on the roads. No fence, children run out into the road where they do not expect the driver.
As measures to improve traffic conditions, the head of state suggested that “greater use of the insurance mechanism” (finally limiting the practice of dissemination of false insurance policies) and actively exclude police officers from the process of registration of road accident. But in fact the main task of the state Council, he identified as a culture of drivers and pedestrians. Because the process is long, the main instrument was and remains tougher penalties for violations: at the meeting often heard the phrase “to punish the ruble for speed”.
Photo: Alexei Nikolsky / RIA Novosti
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin to visitors of the exhibition “Modern technologies in the field of road safety” in the concert centre “Millennium” in Yaroslavl.
Need to be quick and to the government, the President said. The head of state reminded that in may 2015, has instructed the Cabinet to take additional measures to reduce mortality from accidents. In the state Duma had to pay 13 bills, but got there only one. The rest are still undergoing negotiation with the government. “Under the personal responsibility of Ministers” Putin has demanded to prepare and submit to the lower house of Parliament remaining a dozen and take these bills in the spring session.
Keynote speaker at the state Council made by the Governor of Vladimir region Svetlana Orlova. She talked about the fact that now the roads are all bad, but ten years ago it was even worse. Many driving schools are preparing “poor-quality” drivers, pointed to Orlov, and only 20 per cent of restraints for children meets international standards.
Children picked up the Commissioner for children’s rights Pavel Astakhov, who proposed to amend the rules of the road direct prohibition to leave in parked cars preschool children. Over the past three years, he reported, met the sad statistics. Astakhov cited just a few examples: in Ulyanovsk left in the car, the child hugged his neck the window, and in Ulan-Ude choked, entangled in the straps. However, the reaction of the President on the proposal Astakhov was not followed.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov / Kommersant
The Governor of Vladimir region Svetlana Orlova during the meeting of the Presidium of the State Council.
Promptly to the state Council was made only one decision. Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov suggested that the rule according to which the regions will be to transfer income from fines to the road Fund and spend the money exclusively on the road. “And now, — said the presidential aide Andrei Belousov, in 30 regions the money from the road funds are used in an inappropriate way”. Penalty of 700 million rubles, collected last year in the Yaroslavl region, prevention programmes reached only 65 million, provided specific figures on the interior Minister Kolokoltsev. In the end, Putin has agreed with the offer.
“It seems that we very easily relate to that most difficult problem — superficially, to some, sorry, everyday life,” concluded the President, after hearing all the reports. He reproachfully said that this situation needed to timely assess and respond to it. “But we didn’t, so these huge losses: 30-35 thousand dead on the roads, a nightmare,” concluded the head of state.
