TISPOL STRIDER seminar

“Traffic safety aspects in Latvia”

Deputy Head of State Police, Head of Central Public Order Department

Artis Velšs

21/04/2015

General facts about the Republic of Latvia

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• 2 160 125 inhabitants;

• Territory 64 589 km2;

• Capital – Riga;

• Bordered by Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania;

• Largest cities: Riga, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Ventspils;

• Total length of roads -        20 093.00 km;

• Total number of registered vehicles ~ 650 000; 

• Number of active driving licences –  844 707.

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Structure of Traffic supervision

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• There are 7828 employees in State Police;• ~700 employees are involved in supervision

of the traffic, but also carry out other police responsibilities;

• In recent years the number of employees involved in traffic supervision was reduced;

• The State Police policy of traffic safety in the country is formed by Traffic Safety Department.

State Police

Kurzeme Region Department

Latgale  Region Department

Zemgale Region Department

Vidzeme Region Department

Riga Region Department

Public Order Police Department 

Traffic Safety Department

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Criminal intelligence model – base of Road Policing model

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Special units Traffic Security 

department 

Criminal Police

Regional public order police forces 

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The factor of capital city

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• In 2014 there were registered 16 904 accidents of which 8225 – in Riga;

• In 2014 there were registered 3705 accidents with casualties of which 1608 – in Riga.

• ½ of employees works in Riga, ½ - in regions.

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2014.g.2012.g. 2013.g.

16904

15645

16464

3705

33623502

4592

4189

4359

212

177179

Total transport accidentsAccidents with casualties

injuriesfatalities

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Categories of Fatal Transport accidents

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Priorities in road traffic safety

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• Safety of pedestrians;

• Speeding;

• Drink driving;

• Safety belts;

• Bicyclists / Scooters

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Safety of Pedestrians

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• In 2014 there were fatalities of 71 pedestrians, of which 18 women and 53 men. The largest number of perished women were in the age group of 61-70 years and men 41-60 years.

• The most part of fatalities - do not have the driving licence, which also indicates they can not asses the situation properly in bad weather conditions and the road condition; especially in autumn and winter.

• The infrastructure is not sufficiently developed.

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Safety of Pedestrians

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• The largest number of casualties - during autumn–winter season

• Short-term improvement effects of prevention campaigns (for example, «Be visible!»)

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Speeding

• Largest density of roads network in Europe per 1 km2 (1,134 km per 1 km2).

• In order to supervise all the motor roads it is necessary to involve a large number of employees and technical equipment.

• People's way of thinking – «You have to obey the law only when there is someone supervising you if you obey the law».

• In 2014 there were drawn up 100 470 protocols on speed driving (2013 – 92 148), which are 36% of all traffic violations.

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Results of Speed Marathon (16-17/04/2015)

• Average speed on roads decreased by 2-3 km/h• 242 officers took a part on the Marathon, they where

drawn 578 protocols for speeding (usually there where drawn about 200-250 protocols for speeding per day)

• Information was published on media, however there where drawn speeding records 154 km per hour, allowed speed – 90 km per hour)

• Two drivers were under the influence of alcohol• The number of speed offences detected by Technical

Means (photoradar) - 279

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Drink driving• In 2014 there were registered 647 transport

accidents where the involved drivers were intoxicated;

• Accidents with several casualties (casualties of the same accident) lead to think that not only drivers have careless attitude towards traffic regulating rules, but also passengers.

• In summer of 2014 there were two transport accidents with 4 casualties and one accident with 6 casualties. In all the above mentioned cases the driver was intoxicated.

• In 2014 there were drawn up 4136 protocols on driving while intoxicated out of which 254 – to women, 3882 – to men.

• 60% of protocols were drawn up for intoxication with alcohol concentration of ≥ 1.5‰

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Mass checking

During the last two years additional attention in the form of mass checking has been paid to drivers operating vehicles under the influence.

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General factors advancing transport accidents

• Inconsistent / changing weather conditions • Wrong choice of appropriate speed • Road maintenance quality in autumn-winter

season • Lack of reflecting elements on pedestrians’

clothes • Road crossing in unsuitable places • Nihilistic attitude of road users towards

obeying normative acts

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Thank you for your attention!