Sebastian Clemente
05/17/2021 5:25 PM
Clarín.com
Cities
Updated 05/17/2021 18:07
The
deaths from road accidents by
20% in 2020 decreased
compared to 2019. The decline is explained partly by the restrictions imposed by
the pandemic of the coronavirus, which for several months quarantine strictly made hardly been circulating on the streets from the city. But at the same time, the figures show that the largest number of victims is among the most vulnerable actors:
9 out of 10 deaths
were pedestrians, or people who moved on
motorcycles or bicycles.
The information comes from the annual report prepared by the City Road Observatory, which is made with the collaboration of NGOs and through the collection of accident data from the City Police. To improve effectiveness, a few years ago the
fatalities
began to be counted
seven days after the accidents occurred
; previously, only those who lost their lives at the scene of the incident were taken into account.
It is clear that the decline in circulation had an influence. During months like
April and May 2020, there were no road accidents with fatalities
in the City. Something similar happened in the rest of the country. For this reason, the months with the highest number of fatal cases were
January and February,
when the restrictions due to the pandemic had not begun, and
November and December
, when circulation was restored and almost reached the usual flow
prior to the coronavirus.
When asked if a 20% drop is less than expected in relation to the reduction in traffic, the official response explains that, as there were fewer vehicles on the streets, there were also more cases of
speeding and non-respect red traffic lights
. And this, in turn, led to faster incidents,
increasing the risk.
"We know that the relationship between less circulation and the decrease in the accident rate
was not so direct for that level of circulation.
Perhaps the index was higher than we should have had. But we also saw that
speeding was present
, and it leaves us the teaching that we have to go back to working on raising awareness in that sense. An empty street does not necessarily reduce the accident rate, "said Juan José Mendez, Secretary of Transportation and Public Works of the City.
57% of accidents with fatalities were due to
speeding
, 32% due to
crossing with a red light
and 21% with the presence of
alcohol or drugs in the driver
.
In addition, it is added that 70% of fatal incidents occur at intersections.
Ricardo Papadopulos, in a VW Golf, ran over and killed 4-year-old Isaac Sus in December last year.
He turned himself in several days later and the trial began last week.
The
speed and alcohol consumption also
explain the age of those who die in road accidents, which continue to cause
major death in young people.
54% of the fatalities were
between 25 and 54 years of age
; while the second group is occupied by those between 15 and 24. The average age of people who lost their lives in 2020 is
44 years.
As for the gender; 8 out of 10 fatalities were male.
"Although there were fewer people on the street,
the early morning and early evening
were the times with the most fatal road accidents. And this is a trend that
did not change from other years,"
said Dino Buzzi, Director of Planning, Uso and Mobility Assessment
Unlike what happened in 2019, with collisions between cars and motorcycles as the first factor in traffic deaths, during 2020
pedestrian accidents were the incidents that caused the most deaths
: cars were the main involved, followed by passenger transport and motorcycles: together they starred in 40% of the cases.
Regarding the roads where the incidents occurred,
60 percent of the victims lost their lives on avenues
. As in recent years,
General Paz
continues to be the road with the most victims per kilometer. However, the Observatory remarked that this index fell by 54% since 2015. On the other hand, the highest death rates per square kilometer were observed in Communes 1 (Retiro, San Nicolás, Puerto Madero, San Telmo, Montserrat and Constitution); 2 (Recoleta), and 7 (Flores, Parque Chacabuco) and 15 (Chacarita, Villa Crespo, La Paternal, Villa Ortúzar, Agronomía and Parque Chas).
Also due to the pandemic, 2020 showed a
sharp increase in the number of bicycle trips:
in 2019 there were 320 thousand trips a year and in 2020 there were 405 thousand.
However,
the death rate for cyclists decreased compared to the previous year.
The Buenos Aires government took the loss of fatalities as good news.
They explained that, after fulfilling the government's commitment and reducing fatalities by more than 30% since 2015, now the goal is to drop 30% by 2023 and 50% by 2030.
"The accident rate is also
the main cause of acquired disability
, with which it has high costs and personal, especially in young people," said Juan José Mendez, Secretary of Transportation and Public Works of the City, adding: "And it is also the main cause of the use of the resources of the public health system ".
"It is always good news to reduce the fatal road accident rate. Each fact that is avoided allows to alleviate the burden on the health system, which today is demanded by the pandemic," added the Chief of Staff, Felipe Miguel.
In this regard, the head of SAME,
Alberto Crescenti
, stated: "SAME today handles the first line of the pandemic. So, if we can
reduce road accidents
with awareness, we could also reduce the use of intensive care beds from a system that it is burdened by a
large number of road incidents
that we continue to have. "
SC
Look also
The zero alcohol behind the wheel project: what will happen in the City of Buenos Aires
Fast and furious: speeding was the most committed traffic offense in 2020, the year of the quarantine