Deadly Roads: Number of dead and injured people rise by 35% since the beginning of the year
The beginning of the year was marked by unprecedented growth of road traffic injuries in Ukraine. According to the National Police of Ukraine, since the beginning of this year the number of road accidents with the victims has increased by 33%, as compared to the same period last year, by 35% more are registered dead and injured. Thus, in January-February 2020, there were 24 698 road accidents, of which 3 638 were accidents with victims, in which 500 people were killed, 4633 were injured.
There are also catastrophic indicators associated with childhood traffic injuries. In just two months, 20 children were killed on the roads of the country, which is 42.9% more than in the previous period, 498 adolescents(37.2% more) suffered injuries of varying severity.
Negative growth rates of accidents are observed in almost all regions of Ukraine. The largest number, according to statistics, was pedestrian and collision. The main causes of road traffic injuries, as in previous years, remain:
exceeding safe speed;
violation of rules of maneuvering;
violation of traffic rules intersection;
non-compliance with the distance;
driving in drunk condition.
However, there is also a sharp increase in road accidents involving drivers’ fatigue and sleeping, bad road condition and street maintenance.