Israeli road safety sees alarming trends despite COVID lockdowns
The Green Light Association said more police presence is needed to combat the trend.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: JUNE 23, 2021 17:42Heavy traffic jam on the Ayalon highway in Tel Aviv due to construction work, on June 11, 2020(photo credit: FLASH90)
An increased police presence is needed to combat alarming trends in Israeli traffic safety, according to Or Yarok, a traffic safety association, Walla reported on Wednesday. "There is no substitute for a deterrent police presence on the roads to reduce life-threatening traffic offenses," Erez Kita, CEO of the association, told Walla. "Strengthening road deterrence will also strengthen citizens' sense of security off the road and contribute to both the fight against road accidents and the fight against violence."A study from the association found that:
21% of Israeli drivers said their sense of security on the road has been damaged in the past year
36% said they encountered brawls at least once in the past year
73% reported experiencing verbal violence and threatening behaviors at least once in the past year
91% reported being honked at intentionally and aggressively at least once in the past year
Despite a reduction in congestion due to coronavirus-related shutdowns, these stats are getting worse. In 2018, 50% of people 25-69 were injured because of violent behavior on the road, a statistic that rose to 55.1% in 2020 according to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. Road violence in Arab society between April and June 2019 was 24.6% and rose to 40.8% in the same period in 2020, an increase of over 16%."The road has become an unsafe place and drivers are not afraid to behave in this way when they hardly see a police presence on the road," Kita said. "In addition, traffic congestion causes drivers' nervousness, which is reflected in increased violence."There is a direct link between violent behavior in everyday life and on the road, according to studies examined by Walla. People who report feeling angry act recklessly on the road. They speed, tailgate, and drive aggressively.Other reasons for dangerous driving include road conditions, traffic jams, sitting at red lights and other people driving aggressively. If a driver feels nervous, they're more likely to drive unsafely.
