Last year 113 people lost their lives in traffic

At the Kosovo National Institute of Public Health (IKSHPK) today, the joint meeting was held with responsibilities by the Kosovo Police General Directorate for Safety in Road Traffic and the high number of traffic accidents.

In the IKSHPK report, road safety is said to be a very important issue, and Kosovo has had significant increases in the number of traffic deaths in the last decade, and the number of pedestrians dead in road accidents is too high.

According to Kosovo Police data, Kosovo in last year (2019) in traffic accidents has had 113 people dead, while in the preliminary year (2018), there were 129 people dead in fatal traffic accidents.

The meeting found that the causes of traffic accidents are many and varied, but of course one remains the most frequent factor because they are not complying with general traffic regulations, along with speed-related measures, the use of seat belts and seats for children, the use of alcohol, drugs, and medicine, keeping the distance of safety, as well as the condition of vehicles and driving time, and the rest for drivers.

IK The KPS and Kosovo Police stress that developing a road safety culture is very important, so further awareness of the population's risks and responsibility in traffic must be further raised, and all necessary measures from institutions responsible for reducing and preventing traffic accidents should be taken.

IK The KPS and Kosovo Police repeat some of the recommendations aimed at preventing road traffic accidents:

1. Citizens must respect all rules in road traffic;

2. Drivers should be at maximum concentration while driving;

3. Drivers must respect allowed speed;

4. Drivers should not use mobile phones while driving;

5. Drivers with similar repeated sentences must be forced to undergo psychological tests, and for them stricter sanctions and additional measures to improve their driving;

6. Release of a medical certificate for a driver's license should be made by respecting criteria rigorously

7. Footmen as traffic participants are obliged to comply with traffic regulations, as are other members in traffic.