PREVENTIVE MEASURES AND ACTIVITIES FOR REDUCING ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Boris Murgoski, PhDKire Babanoski, MSc

Faculty of security – SkopjeRepublic of Macedonia

Contents

INTRODUCTION

BASIC INDICATORS FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND TRAFFIC DELINQUENCY IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

POLICE PREVENTION AND ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY

PREVENTIVE CAMPAIGNS UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Review of road accidents and road accident casualties in the Republic of Macedonia in the period 2003-2012

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Road traffic accidents 1.926

1.988

2821

3313

4037

4403

4353

4223

4.462

4.108

Casualties

killed 118 155 143 140 173 162 160 162 172 132

seriously and slightly injured

2.750

2.927

4176

4936

6133

6724

6731

6375

6.853

6.149

ALL road accident casualties

2.868

3.082

4319

5076

6306

6886

6891

6537

7.025

6.281

SOURCE: State statistical office of the Republic of Macedonia (2003-2012). Statistical review: transport, tourism and other services. Transport and other communications, Skopje

Police preventive activities undertaken in the Republic of Macedonia in the last few years

"Wear a seat belt" - Campaign for traffic safety - through video;

Campaign " Switch Light" - through posters, billboards and TV presentations;

Campaign "Three basic rules for safe driving" (campaign whose main purpose are foreign nationals).

Campaign "Against use of mobile phones while driving a motor vehicle".

Campaign for "Use of safety belts" with motto "Use belts - just a single click protect your life – Just click";

Project "Action for safer pedestrian in traffic" realized in the period September-October 2009 by the Skopje police stations in the city supported by the OSCE mission in the Republic of Macedonia,

Campaign "Summer guide for radars" - realized in the month of June 2010,

Traffic educational action "The safety of pedestrians and cyclists" in 2010,

Action "Useful information for drivers on the roads in the Republic of Macedonia" - Read - Think – Remember.

PREVENTIVE CAMPAIGNS UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Campaign "Safe on motorcycle" - through a video and educational guide for parents;

Strengthened campaign for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists - conducted in May and October 2008;

Organized annual state quiz competitions "How well do you know the traffic" and annual competitions in the field of traffic "Children Semaphore" and "Traffic Technical Culture of Youth";

Successfully organized and held 25-th FIA European Traffic Education Contest 2010 – in the period of 24-27.09.2010 in Skopje, for traffic education and generating traffic culture among young people in Europe.

Numerous expert consultations, meetings and roundtables by the Council to exchange experiences regarding the impact of various factors on traffic and proposing measures for improvement of traffic safety situation;

Celebrating the World Day of Remembrance for the victims of road traffic accidents

Conclusion Measures and actions should be focused and intensified in the following

contents:

1. Prevention of traffic delinquency as a negative phenomenon of social indiscipline in traffic, with specific means of prevention and repression and

2. Traffic accidents prevention, as a general policy of maintaining the traffic safety – security on various ways.

However, if the road traffic users are not aware and responsible for safety, such activities can not be useful.

Namely, many traffic offenses and accidents would have not occurred if the participants in traffic would be more responsible.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION …