Fatal accidents, our fellow human beings dead on the asphalt, families left behind and grieving. The numbers have long since sounded a warning bell and officials are being called upon more than ever to get involved in the problem.
The number of road fatalities so far for 2022 is equivalent to that recorded for the whole of 2018.
Of great concern is the fact that the rates of accidents involving motorcyclists are also particularly elevated, as Transport Minister Giannis Karousos pointed out once again.
For the period 2017-2021, 30% of road traffic collision victims were motorcyclists or moped riders. Specifically, in 2021, 14 of the 45 deaths recorded in our country from road collisions involved motorcyclists/motorcyclists or motorcycle passengers.
The percentage of motorcyclist injuries in 2021 is also quite high, with 47.34% of total injuries from road collisions involving serious injuries and 29.33% involving minor injuries to motorcyclists.
As reported in a recent Cyprus Times article, June 2022 was recorded as the worst in the last decade in terms of asphalt fatalities. 10 of our fellow human beings were added to the blacklist in June, while 25 in total have died since the beginning of the year. 9 of them were motorcycle drivers or passengers.
2.629 applications for protective equipment for motorcyclists
However, the application procedure for the purchase of protective equipment such as airbags for motorcyclists' bodies was completed yesterday, with great success. Interest in the Scheme was high, with 2,629 applications, he said, indicating that motorcyclists have understood the necessity of using additional protective equipment and are willing to use it for the safety and protection of their lives.
Ongoing "Bike-Safe"
As it has already become known, since last week, free courses have been started for motorcycle drivers by trained members of the Headquarters Traffic Department who have been imparting their knowledge and experience in order to help drivers acquire road safety skills.
The programme, which will continue with new courses in July, is called "BikeSafe" and provides both theoretical and practical lessons.
7 in 10 agree with cameras on the roads
The majority of citizens believe that the recent implementation of the system of light detection will help prevent and reduce fatal collisions, according to the findings of the IMR Institute/University of Nicosia Police survey.
Specifically, 7 in 10 agreed with the above position. This was most strongly agreed by people over 65, with 96%, and women with 71%.
On the penalties for the offences checked by these cameras, 18% want stricter penalties, 22% want more relaxed penalties, while 50% said they are satisfied and want the penalties to remain as they are.
In fact, 7 out of 10 call for the system to be extended with more cameras in the future. With 74%, people from the Nicosia district asked for more cameras, followed by the Limassol district with 71%.
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