Ethiopia lags behind goal to minimise traffic accidents

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 28, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia lags behind an objective it set three years ago to cut traffic death tolls in the country by 80%, a government official has told Sudan Tribune.

In 2010, Ethiopia launched the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) with the aim of significantly cutting traffic fatality rates.

However with the GTP coming to an end in 2015, traffic accident death toll stands at 72 deaths per 10,000 vehicle accidents annually.

Statistics show that on average 8 people die per day in traffic related accidents in Ethiopia.

The Director of Transport Policy and research at the Federal Transport Authority,
Alemayo Welde, told Sudan Tribune that this year alone 3,360 people died on road in 26,000 car accidents across the country.

According to the official, 15,000 of the total car accident occurred in the capital, Addis Ababa causing over 380 fatalities.

Among the cause of accidents in the country are ignoring traffic laws, illegal driving, over speeding and drink driving.

The federal Transport Authority said it is working towards introducing new methods to curb the high rates of accidents including raising awareness among road users in the country.

Ethiopia has one of the highest traffic related death rates in the world.

(ST)