The organization Automobil Club Moldova has launched a petition by which it asks to limit the speed at 30 km/h in the historical center of Chisinau and near educational institutions. The speed limit of 30 km/h is an important step towards making the streets safe and accessible to all the vulnerable categories of traffic participants, such as pedestrians, bicyclists and persons with reduced mobility.
Tatiana Mihailova, of Automobil Club Moldova, in a news conference at IPN said that representatives of specialized organizations, civic activists and inhabitants of Chisinau ascertained that road safety on the streets of Chisinau has diminished. “This is confirmed by the official reports of the National Public Security Inspectorate, which reveal a significant increase in the number of accidents and of deaths and persons injured in these. The speed that does not match visibility, the conditions and situation on urban roads is the main cause of road accidents in Chisinau,” stated Tatiana Mihailova.
As many as 805 road accidents were recorded in the capital city in 2021, twice more than in 2020. As a result, 26 persons died. Speeding was the major cause of road accidents.
International studies in the field showed that the risks of death or serious injuries for a pedestrian or a cyclist in case of a collision with a vehicle travelling at a speed higher than 30 km/h rises exponentially. The maximum speed limit recommended for urban streets with mixt traffic (cars, pedestrians, bicyclists) is 30 km/h.
Given that the concentration of schools, universities, clinics, hospitals, commercial and administrative institutions in the perimeter of the streets A. Mateevici, Mihai Viteazul, Albișoara and Ismail in Chisinau is the highest, this area generates the biggest risks of injury to vulnerable traffic participants.
The reduction of speed limit in the cities of Europe, Asia or Latin America showed that the streets with a reduced speed limit not only ensure road safety, but also encourage active mobility (walking, traveling by bike). “The streets with 30 km/h also contribute to reducing exhaust emissions, air pollutants and noise in traffic,” said Tatiana Mihailova, of Automobil Club Moldova.
Urbanist Victor Chironda, expert in urban mobility and ex-deputy mayor, said the benefits of speed reduction are great. Children, older persons, mothers with babies in carriages travel through the center of the capital city. A driver can always be a pedestrian, butt a pedestrian cannot always be a driver.
Elena Lovtsov, a teacher at the Chisinau Lyceum “Ștefan cel Mare”, noted the students of the third-fourth grades go to school alone and they should be safe on their way.
Tatiana Spânu, a teacher of the Chisinau Lyceum “Universul”, said there is a gas station and a bus station near their educational institution and the drivers travelling by the lyceum should not exceed the speed limit of 30 km/h as both the children and the drivers are safe when the speed is low.
Mihail Bagas, coordinator of the initiative “City without Maxi-Taxis”, suggested that the drivers travelling at speeds higher than 100 km/h should be striped of the driver’s license.
The petition so far has been signed by 15 organizations and was submitted to the Chisinau City Hall and the Chisinau Police Division for examination. In several months, the petition is to be promoted at national level. A poll carried out by Automobil Club Moldova showed that 68% of the respondents support this initiative, while 92% of those interviewed are for reducing the speed limit near schools.