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9 casualties every day for the past decade: This is how Israel has failed to protect pedestrians
31 people were killed only in the first quarter of 2021, on the way to one of the most difficult years in this regard.
The groups most affected: Jewish seniors and Arab children.
Where do most accidents occur, what is the gap from Europe, and how does one blind spot endanger us all?
Behind the resounding failure
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car accidents
NRSA
Keenan Cohen
Saturday, May 29, 2021, 11:00 p.m.
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At first glance, one could draw some consolation from the decline in the number of pedestrians killed in road accidents in the Corona year.
After 98 deaths in 2018 and 87 the following year, the year 2020 totaled 83 deaths.
But on another look, in relation to the year in which the pursuit of restrictions closed - a decrease of four deaths is not a decrease, but a resounding failure.
At the same time, the first months of 2021, reflected in data from the National Road Safety Authority (RALBD), show that if things remain as they are today, Israel is on a fast track to one of the most difficult years for pedestrians - with 31 deaths, accounting for 26.5% of the total. the first one.
Personal evidence
"That's how we quit smoking and got out of a risk group"
To the full article
Pedestrians killed in road accidents, 2020-2018
2018 - 98
2019 - 87
2020 - 83
(Data: National Road Safety Authority)
If we add to the death toll the number of casualties, it appears that in Israel an average of 3,265 pedestrians are injured each year, according to data compiled by the Green Light Association in a large-scale study that covered the 2020-2011 range.
When the figure is specified, it becomes clear that an average of nine pedestrians are injured every day, and the death toll is added there every four days.
In order to understand where the state fails to protect pedestrians, an in-depth examination of their risk characteristics is required, as well as of the type of accidents that cause the greatest number of casualties.
A look at the National Road Safety Authority's summary summary report, which reviews the decade between 2008 and 2018, provides some insights.
The first is by age group and sector, where it appears that the highest number of casualties is among children in Arab society and elderly Jews.
These are also the two population groups in which the gap between Israel and other countries is the highest.
Percentage of pedestrians killed in total accidents in 2020-2011
2011 - 31.9%
2012 - 31.4%
2013 - 30.4%
2014 - 39.2%
2015 - 32%
2016 - 27.9%
2017 - 30.8%
2018 - 31%
2019 - 25.1%
2020 - 27.2%
(Data: Central Bureau of Statistics)
In addition to another cut to this figure, it is possible, to a considerable extent, to discover the possible reasons.
For example, among children up to the age of 14, the absolute majority - 87% - were injured while not crossing, or while not crossing.
Only 9% were injured at a crossing.
This is an indication that is consistent with the infrastructure gaps between Arab and Jewish localities - sidewalks, crossings - along with education and environmental impact.
In the age group of people aged 65 and over, 77% were injured while crossing a road at a crosswalk or not at a crosswalk and only 21% of accidents occurred outside of a crosswalk.
Here it can be concluded that physiological aspects related to speed and response times, vision, hearing and cognitive perception are what affect injuries during the crossing itself, whether in crossing or outside the crossing.
Either way, in all population groups, whether by sector or age and also in all the characteristics of localities - the solution is the same triangle in which the message of the National Road Safety Authority has been focused for years: infrastructure, information and enforcement.
And it works, just not in Israel.
At the bottom of the table
In Europe, the Transport Safety Council, or in its professional name "ETSC", has been operating since 1993.
Companies include countries from all over Europe - from Ireland in the west to Romania in the east, Finland and Norway in the north and Portugal and Greece in the south.
The organization recently published a report reviewing the issue of pedestrians, which includes comparisons between different countries.
According to the findings, in the years 2018-2016, Israel finished in fourth place from the bottom in the rate of pedestrians among all those killed in road accidents with 32%, with Latvia with 35%, Romania with 37% and Lithuania with 38%.
The figure was much higher than the European average, 21%, and even higher than that of the leading countries, such as the Netherlands, which had only 9%, or Norway and Finland where 11% were recorded.
Average pedestrian deaths by age per million inhabitants in Europe (2017-2015)
14-0 - 2.5
24-15 - 6.3
49-25 - 6.7
64-50 - 10.6
65 and over - 25.1
(Data: European Road Safety Council)
Average pedestrian deaths by age per million inhabitants in Israel (2017-2015)
14-0 - 4.9
24-15 - 7.1
49-25 - 7.2
64-50 - 11.7
65 and over - 52.7
(Data: European Road Safety Council)
The report contains not only data, but also a chapter dedicated to fluctuations in the trend over the years, what changes have been made and what more needs to be done to improve the results.
For example, between 2018 and 2010, European countries reduced the death rate among pedestrians by 2.6%, while in Israel there was a decrease of 1.6% during the same period, which places it in 23rd place out of 32 countries in the European table.
In terms of seriously injured pedestrians the situation is even worse.
Compared with a decrease of 0.9% in the European average, Israel rose by 3.1% in this index.
Simple solutions
Another example is reflected both the ETSC seduction and seduction Hrlb"d related to various types of vehicles involved in accidents in which pedestrians were injured, and is an excellent exercise in understanding of the common fallacy in identifying, analyzing and solution to the problem in this area.
Reports indicate that there are gaps in the level of risk of an accident between types Different vehicles and even as a derivative of the direction of crossing, so while in motorcycles there is no difference between the number of casualties when crossing from right to left or vice versa, in accidents involving cars - 57% of fatalities were injured when crossing from right to left. From right to left.
The explanation for this is simple, and stems from the ability of drivers to better control what is happening on the left side of the vehicle - where they are sitting - over what is happening on the right side.
In trucks and buses, the gap is intensified due to the structure of the vehicles and the driving position.
Private cars, heavy vehicles, buses and light commercial vehicles are responsible for 92% of pedestrian deaths.
What may solve the problem is informing the public of drivers and pedestrians.
Most of the accidents - crossing from right to left.
Crossing in Zichron Yaacov (Photo: Shlomi Gabay)
According to Erez Kita, CEO of the Green Light Association, "The report is a certificate of poverty and a failed score for the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety for the failure to protect pedestrians.
Pediatric children and senior citizens must be protected by curbing the speed of vehicles in cities - and especially around schools, public kindergartens, nursing homes and day centers for the elderly.
At the same time, action must be taken to reduce the high involvement of trucks and buses in road accidents involving pedestrians. "
"The Ministry of Transport and Road Safety must address this report and draw conclusions from it," he clarified. In his view, there are actions taken in Europe, all of which can also be implemented in Israel, that can help. Among other things, the recommendations include prioritizing pedestrian safety as the most vulnerable group among road users; Reducing the number of vehicles and reducing their travel speed to 30 km / h in defined urban areas; producing a clear separation, physical or visual, between the level and area of pedestrians and vehicles; and finally increasing enforcement.
"The sharp rise in deaths is a direct result of neglect. And the unforgivable lawlessness of the Israeli government and the Ministry of Transportation in particular, "accused the chairman of the subcommittee for the promotion of road safety, MK Boaz Toporovsky (There is a Future)." Over several months, in the subcommittee's deliberations, we often hid A person".
He points the finger at the Ministry of Transportation, but also blames the Ministry of Finance. "Along with the gross disregard for human life by the Ministry of Finance, which frequently delays budget allocations for the fight against road homicide, the minister promised to present the Israeli government with a detailed national road safety plan.
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