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driver, Main Directorate for Traffic Safety, Republic of Karelia, Za Rulem, GAI UVD Grodno Regional Executive Committee

Road Safety: National Russian Program is Not Effective

Accident Rates Are Soaring

The National Program for Road Safety in Russia was initiated in 2018 with a goal to reduce the number of traffic-related fatalities by half.

However, statistics from the Main Directorate for Traffic Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Karelia show that the accident rate has only increased in recent years.

In 2022, there were 1,253 road accidents in Karelia, resulting in 150 deaths and 1,700 injuries.

This represents a 10% increase in the number of accidents and a 15% increase in the number of deaths compared to 2021.

Failure to Implement Traffic Safety Measures

Experts believe that the failure of the National Program for Road Safety to achieve its goals is due to the lack of implementation of effective traffic safety measures.

According to the head of the GAI UVD Grodno Regional Executive Committee, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Bogdanovich, the program has not been implemented in a comprehensive and systematic manner.

He said that many of the measures outlined in the program, such as improving road infrastructure, increasing traffic enforcement, and promoting road safety education, have not been implemented or have been implemented only partially.

Lack of Funding and Coordination

Another reason for the failure of the National Program for Road Safety is the lack of funding and coordination.

According to Za Rulem, a Russian automotive magazine, the program has been underfunded since its inception.

In addition, there has been a lack of coordination between different government agencies responsible for implementing the program.

This has led to a lack of accountability and a lack of progress in achieving the program's goals.

Recommendations for Improvement

Experts recommend a number of measures to improve the effectiveness of the National Program for Road Safety, including:

• Increasing funding for the program.
• Improving coordination between government agencies.
• Implementing effective traffic safety measures, such as improving road infrastructure, increasing traffic enforcement, and promoting road safety education.
• Monitoring and evaluating the program's progress and making adjustments as needed.