Police: The number of fatal accidents has seen a decline

At the Kosovo Police Conference, it was said that the number of fatal accidents, for the January-August period of this year, compared to 2018, has seen a decline.

Now as the start of the school year approaches, institutions are preparing for greater safety in traffic on roads that travel students to school.

Kosovo Police, the Ministry of Education, Infrastructure, the Education Directorate and Public Services in the Pristina municipality have held today a meeting in the Kosovo Police, where they agreed on joint activities that they would undertake to increase road traffic safety, especially near schools.

Lieutenant Colonel Jefin Rexhepi from the traffic division indicated there is a decline in the number of fatal accidents.

“As far as the security situation in road traffic between January 1st and August 29, 2019, if compared with the same period last January 1st, August 29th, we can tell you that the number of fatal accidents and dead persons has hit a decline. We have 13 people less dead than in the same period last year, or 1583%. The number of injuries is on the decline for 306, or 7.47%, the number of accidents in general is on the decline for 224 cases, or 2.1.5%, while the number of injuries marks growth for 1.37%”, he said.

He made it known that the number of PK countertors identification is on the rise for 7194 against more, or 2.65%.

While he said until the age of 12 there are 5 people who have lost their lives this year, from 13 to 18, there is 1 person, while over the age of 19 there are 52 who have lost their lives.

Rexhepi said there are 21 drivers, 15 passengers and 22 pedestrians who have lost their lives so far.

He also made it known that the KP would increase road safety by the beginning of September.

And in September we have greater security in road traffic. Kosovo police, through the plan, are aimed at having increased police presences especially in the vicinity of schools, which are close to national roads or other local roads, with priorities, as well as other schools that are located in more domestic areas, cities or villages. Also envisioned are the speeches that will be in the theoretical part as well as in the practical part, with students, we call them with young policemen, who will practice the signs that are already taken in advance during the theoretical side”, he said.

While Alush Istog from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said the entire school year requires the students' security and awareness in road communication.

“We are making a joint interministerial co-ordination, because the first day of school start and the entire school year requires the safety and awareness of students in communication, and this is based on education reform, and changing the curriculum in Kosovo, these restraints are highlighted in some subjects where every teacher will have access to awareness and safety at students<1>, he said.

Medina Braha, director of public services in the Pristina municipality, told of actions the municipality will take in this direction.

The “what we've already seen for this year and next year is the horizontal signal of school warning on the street, so they're in larger dimensions, yellow-colored, warns school 30 to 100 meters before school, and we have just the triangle that's the same as the triangle that's on the vertical signal that we believe will give a much larger visibility to places where schools are near”, she said.

The Ministry of Infrastructure recommended that parents with children in the first grade accompany them to school, and vice versa while constantly using footpaths and potential sidewalks.

At this conference, Kosovo Police asked parents to devote more time to children for road traffic regulations.