What is needed to stop road accidents
What the Aci/Istat data say about road accidents in Italy. Guiglia's notebook
High speed limits on roads should never apply only to legislators in Parliament, where they are called, on the contrary, to step on the accelerator to approve the new safety code proposed by the government. A text that is the result of a now general and long-standing reflection: the duty to prevent with education and controls, and to sanction with heavy fines and, in serious cases, with the withdrawal of the driving licence, to begin to reduce the intolerable number of accidents with many injuries and unfortunately many deaths.
CODE AND CONSCIENCE
The victims are 3,200 per year, just to remember the dimensions "of the massacre that I want to put an end to", as the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini , says, counting on the fact that the new code, already approved by the Chamber, will become state law by early 2024.
His is a necessary exhortation, but not sufficient after the tragedy of the three twenty-year-olds – Egli Gjeci, Altin Hoti, the driver, and Giulia Di Tillio – who were traveling late at night in a large-engined car, and who died on the streets of Portogruaro after the impact of their car with a tree, at 3.40 am, the crash of the guardrail and the flight of the same into a canal. “Veneto mourns other young road victims, the latest tragedy of many others that leaves hearts broken and calls consciences to a deep examination of what can be done to avoid them,” underlines the President of the Region, Luca Zaia.
Therefore, the new code invoked by Salvini and the conscience evoked by Zaia are two different but complementary aspects: only by putting them to work together can we hope to change things.
DATA ON ROAD ACCIDENTS IN ITALY
According to Aci/Istat estimates, in the first half of the year compared to the equivalent period of 2022, the decline in road accidents resulting in injuries to people was modest, around 1%. Only a little more – 2.5% – is the recorded decrease in victims by the thirtieth day.
Interesting data, but not very encouraging. If after years of prevention campaigns, increased checks by the police, the introduction of institutions such as the points-based driving license the overall result is anything but revolutionary, it means not only that the rules must be even more rigorous and restrictive, but above all that codes, no matter how "new" and upcoming, are not enough to stop the massacre of innocents.
THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY
It is the community as a whole, starting from the main nucleus called the family, that must intervene, changing habits and attitudes. Especially to new drivers, but in general to all young drivers, it must be explained first and foremost by their parents, as well as by their closest friends, that, when behind the wheel, even the most banal yet widespread mass distraction – using a mobile phone – , can have devastating effects.
It should be explained that Italian roads and motorways are not a branch of the Monza or Imola racetracks. That you don't drive drunk or drugged. That limits and traffic lights, if they are indicated, always have a reason and must be respected. Parents must also learn to say "no" to their children. And young people not to exalt each other with selfies and videos while driving. And adults not to trust too much in their experience behind the wheel: maximum attention in the name of their own safety and that of others.
Without the combination of citizens' conscience and legislators' actions we will soon return to crying and regretting what we didn't do.
Published in L'Arena di Verona, Il Giornale di Vicenza, Bresciaoggi and La Gazzetta di Mantova
www.federicoguiglia.com
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/incidenti-stradali-cosa-fare/ on Sun, 17 Dec 2023 06:47:08 +0000.