Significant drop seen in Jerusalem traffic accidents, injuries in 2014

Municipality cites infrastructural improvements, increased safety measures and educational campaign for significant drop.

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
Police outside Damascus gate (photo credit: LIRAN TAMARI, MDA)
Police outside Damascus gate
(photo credit: LIRAN TAMARI, MDA)
The number of vehicular- related accidents and injuries in the capital decreased markedly in 2014 compared to the preceding year, an annual report from the Jerusalem Municipality’s Transportation and Infrastructure Department announced on Sunday.
In terms of accidents compared to 2013, the report stated that last year minor accidents dropped from 791 to 590 (26 percent); serious accidents dropped from 154 to 142 (8%); deadly accidents dropped from 11 to eight (28%); and total accidents dropped from 946 to 740 (22%).
With respect to vehicular- related injuries compared to 2013, the report said that minor injuries dropped from 1,284 to 1,073 (14%); serious injuries dropped from 162 to 148 (9%), while the total number of injuries dropped from 1,457 to 1,229 (16%).
Additionally, according to the report there was a 40% decline in accidents involving young drivers.
“Reducing road accidents is a long and complex matter, and the Jerusalem Municipality is unrelenting in the effort to reduce the problem,” City Hall said in a statement. “The connection between improving the infrastructure of city roads and the decrease in accidents is significant, so the city will continue to do this even more so in 2015 for the welfare and safety of the residents and visitors of Jerusalem.”
The municipality attributed its success to the installation of a number of additional traffic lights at problematic intersections throughout the city, improved roadways and increasing amounts of speed bumps, pedestrian crosswalks and safety railings.
“Continuous engineering operations were carried out by the municipality and other bodies to monitor, analyze and implement changes at major intersections and roads in Jerusalem with traffic lights and other improvements, which caused a decrease in the number of traffic accidents,” the municipality said.
Moreover, added evacuation routes, the prompt removal of illegally-parked vehicles and an aggressive city-wide driver’s education campaign buttressed by close coordination with Jerusalem Police, Transportation Ministry and the municipality, improved the numbers, the statement said.
“These comprehensive actions contributed to a reduction in the city’s number of fatalities and the number of traffic accidents,” it said. “The Jerusalem Municipality, through the Transportation and Infrastructure Development Department will continue to review other central arteries to improve safety and will continue to provide quality service to motorists on the roads of the capital.”


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