Decade of Action for Road Safety begins on May 11

Over 1.3 million people die yearly in road accidents. This is one of the main causes of death for children and youth between 5 and 29 years old. Nearly half of the victims are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. In Moldova, the death rate caused by road accidents is 13.2 deaths per 100,000 population. The campaign was launched by the World Health Organization and will take place in all member countries, Info-Prim Neo reports. The Moldovan Ministry of Health issued a press release stating that road accidents were a major danger for people, threatening their lives and health, causing injures, disabilities and social-economic damage and being one of the biggest medico-social problems. WHO suggested member states to adjust the legislation in order to prevent risk factors, especially the regulations related to excessive speed, drunk driving, use of the seat belt, of the chair for kids and of the helmet for motorcyclists. WHO also recommends the improvement of emergency services and traffic education for children. According to the data of the Ministry of Health, the mortality through road injuries is 12 times higher than through other injuries, hospitalization is required 7 times more frequent and disabilities occur 6 times more often. About 70% of the victims need hospitalization and expensive treatment. Especially worrying is the increasing number of children injured in road accidents over the last years. The Ministry of Health informs that one of the main causes of such accidents is alcohol abuse and drugs. DUI accidents account for 13% of all road accidents. Moldova signed the UN Resolution on the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The target is to reduce the number of accidents by 50% until 2020.