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| Israel grapples with ‘systemic problem’ of fatal road crashes | Israel grapples with ‘systemic problem’ of fatal road crashes |
| (7 months later) | |
| Traffic deaths dropped by only 4.7% in last decade, compared with a 31% fall worldwide | Traffic deaths dropped by only 4.7% in last decade, compared with a 31% fall worldwide |
| When Islamic Jihad, the second largest militant group in the Gaza Strip, fired about 1,000 rockets at Israel during an unexpected flare-up of violence earlier this month, most were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defence system, and no Israelis were seriously hurt or killed. | When Islamic Jihad, the second largest militant group in the Gaza Strip, fired about 1,000 rockets at Israel during an unexpected flare-up of violence earlier this month, most were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defence system, and no Israelis were seriously hurt or killed. |
| On the country’s roads, however, it was a different story. In the same week, 19 people were killed in traffic incidents during a wave of particularly serious crashes. | On the country’s roads, however, it was a different story. In the same week, 19 people were killed in traffic incidents during a wave of particularly serious crashes. |
| Among those killed was a 14-year-old girl in Sderot, who died after a driver failed to stop at a red light, and two bus drivers from Ofakim who were killed when crossing the street to help at the scene of an earlier crash. A woman and her two young daughters also died when a bus rolled for several metres before hitting a bus stop in Jerusalem. | Among those killed was a 14-year-old girl in Sderot, who died after a driver failed to stop at a red light, and two bus drivers from Ofakim who were killed when crossing the street to help at the scene of an earlier crash. A woman and her two young daughters also died when a bus rolled for several metres before hitting a bus stop in Jerusalem. |
| In most of the world, increasing vehicle use has led to more crashes, but a decrease in serious injuries and deaths, as car and road safety continuously improves. In Israel, however, according to a recent European Transport Safety Council report, there has been only a 4.7% drop in fatalities in the last decade, compared to 31% on average. | In most of the world, increasing vehicle use has led to more crashes, but a decrease in serious injuries and deaths, as car and road safety continuously improves. In Israel, however, according to a recent European Transport Safety Council report, there has been only a 4.7% drop in fatalities in the last decade, compared to 31% on average. |
| The last time the Israeli government launched a road safety programme was in 2005. According to Avi Naor, chair of Israel’s National Road Safety Authority, the promised resources for the initiative have not materialised and the issue has been neglected. | The last time the Israeli government launched a road safety programme was in 2005. According to Avi Naor, chair of Israel’s National Road Safety Authority, the promised resources for the initiative have not materialised and the issue has been neglected. |
| “Compared to Europe, or other developed countries, we are in very bad shape. What we have seen this week isn’t just bad luck, it’s a systemic problem,” he said. | “Compared to Europe, or other developed countries, we are in very bad shape. What we have seen this week isn’t just bad luck, it’s a systemic problem,” he said. |
| Despite making up just 20% of Israel’s population, the country’s Arab minority are disproportionately affected: according to Israeli police statistics, Arab Israelis are involved in 52% of fatal crashes. | Despite making up just 20% of Israel’s population, the country’s Arab minority are disproportionately affected: according to Israeli police statistics, Arab Israelis are involved in 52% of fatal crashes. |
| Ghassan Abofaneh, from Kafr Qara in Israel’s cluster of working-class, Arab-majority towns and villages, lost his 22-year-old cousin, Moneeb Mohammed, after his motorcycle collided with a car on Wednesday. He also lost two nephews, both in their early 20s, in a crash last June. | Ghassan Abofaneh, from Kafr Qara in Israel’s cluster of working-class, Arab-majority towns and villages, lost his 22-year-old cousin, Moneeb Mohammed, after his motorcycle collided with a car on Wednesday. He also lost two nephews, both in their early 20s, in a crash last June. |
| “It’s not just the bad infrastructure in Arab communities compared to Jewish ones. The problem goes much deeper than that,” said Abofaneh, 58. | “It’s not just the bad infrastructure in Arab communities compared to Jewish ones. The problem goes much deeper than that,” said Abofaneh, 58. |
| “Young men drive fast anyway. Here, with no outlets to release stress, economic problems … Arab youth don’t ride motorcycles as a means of transport, but for adventure. All they care about is speed. | “Young men drive fast anyway. Here, with no outlets to release stress, economic problems … Arab youth don’t ride motorcycles as a means of transport, but for adventure. All they care about is speed. |
| “These young men don’t have a place in society. We are 20% of the population but we are the ones dying in crashes because the government doesn’t care.” | “These young men don’t have a place in society. We are 20% of the population but we are the ones dying in crashes because the government doesn’t care.” |
| Naor, who founded the road safety nonprofit Greenlight in 1996 after his 20-year-old son was killed in a collision, is determined to change the status quo. He accepted the government position of chair of the National Road Safety Authority earlier this year and since then has been working on a programme to reduce casualties by 50% over the next five years. | Naor, who founded the road safety nonprofit Greenlight in 1996 after his 20-year-old son was killed in a collision, is determined to change the status quo. He accepted the government position of chair of the National Road Safety Authority earlier this year and since then has been working on a programme to reduce casualties by 50% over the next five years. |
| Even though Israel is currently between governments and cannot pass budgets, funding for a pilot programme targeting an initial geographic area will be approved by an interim finance committee of the transportation ministry next week. | Even though Israel is currently between governments and cannot pass budgets, funding for a pilot programme targeting an initial geographic area will be approved by an interim finance committee of the transportation ministry next week. |
| Measures will involve addressing the specific needs of urban and rural areas, including making crossing the street safer for pedestrians, installing 4,000 new surveillance cameras to monitor speed and driver behaviour, as well as initiatives to target young drivers, drivers in the Arab community, and those operating heavy goods vehicles, buses and motorcycles. | Measures will involve addressing the specific needs of urban and rural areas, including making crossing the street safer for pedestrians, installing 4,000 new surveillance cameras to monitor speed and driver behaviour, as well as initiatives to target young drivers, drivers in the Arab community, and those operating heavy goods vehicles, buses and motorcycles. |
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| The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories is more complicated. A Knesset report published in May found that data about traffic incidents involving Palestinian drivers were not being shared by police with Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, raising fears that particularly dangerous stretches of roads under Israeli control are being overlooked. | The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories is more complicated. A Knesset report published in May found that data about traffic incidents involving Palestinian drivers were not being shared by police with Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, raising fears that particularly dangerous stretches of roads under Israeli control are being overlooked. |
| In the West Bank, while the number of crashes has increased in the last decade, the number of fatalities has stayed roughly the same at five deaths per 100,000 people. In the overcrowded Gaza Strip, where data collection is not as transparent, it appears there are at least 100 incidents a month. | In the West Bank, while the number of crashes has increased in the last decade, the number of fatalities has stayed roughly the same at five deaths per 100,000 people. In the overcrowded Gaza Strip, where data collection is not as transparent, it appears there are at least 100 incidents a month. |
| Dr Khaled al-Sahili, a transportation engineer and planning expert at An-Najah National University in Nablus, notes that statistics complied by the Palestinian Authority are not complete: the West Bank’s limited transport network, in which Palestinians are not allowed to use some Israeli-built roads, means that it is difficult to measure the mobility of individuals and vehicles per kilometre of travel. | Dr Khaled al-Sahili, a transportation engineer and planning expert at An-Najah National University in Nablus, notes that statistics complied by the Palestinian Authority are not complete: the West Bank’s limited transport network, in which Palestinians are not allowed to use some Israeli-built roads, means that it is difficult to measure the mobility of individuals and vehicles per kilometre of travel. |
| “The number of crashes doesn’t tell the whole story. That the number of deaths appears to be stabilising doesn’t mean that road safety is good here,” he said. | “The number of crashes doesn’t tell the whole story. That the number of deaths appears to be stabilising doesn’t mean that road safety is good here,” he said. |
| “Roads and pavements in urban areas are in especially poor shape, putting pedestrians at a higher risk, and those types of incidents almost always result in serious injury. | “Roads and pavements in urban areas are in especially poor shape, putting pedestrians at a higher risk, and those types of incidents almost always result in serious injury. |
| “Ultimately, we need a national highway safety programme and better enforcement to change road users’ behaviour. Many of these measures are not costly, but even if they were, it’s still worth it to save lives.” | “Ultimately, we need a national highway safety programme and better enforcement to change road users’ behaviour. Many of these measures are not costly, but even if they were, it’s still worth it to save lives.” |