Road safety concerns rise in Ramat Hasharon

Officials in Ramat Hasharon are considering introducing a campaign to educate drivers on the need to take care around pedestrians.

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
Municipal officials in Ramat Hasharon are considering introducing a campaign to educate drivers on the need to take care around pedestrians after the latter fell victim to a growing number of car accidents last year, reports www.local.co.il. Officials are also considering an education campaign for motor cyclists after they too were involved in a rising number of accidents last year. According to figures from the National Roads Authority, the number of traffic accidents in Ramat Hasharon fell overall from 44 in 2006 to 41 in 2007, and the number of injured similarly fell from 69 in 2006 to 56 in 2007. But 12 of last year's accidents - more than one quarter - involved pedestrians, including one accident which proved fatal. And the number of motor cycle accidents rose from just two in 2006 to 11 in 2007, also more than a quarter of all the accidents in the city. A municipal spokesman said a campaign was necessary to educate drivers on the need to take care around pedestrians, especially elderly pedestrians, and there was a similar need for a campaign to teach young motor cyclists how to ride responsibly.