Israel Police are working hard to reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents as April 2013 winds down as one of the bloodiest months on the nation’s roads, with 17 fatalities as of the end of the 29th of the month. 105 Israelis have lost their lives as the result of vehicular accidents in the first quarter of 2013, as compared to 98 a year earlier. There has been a 25% increase in the number of fatal accidents.

2012 closed on a positive note for traffic police, registering the lowest number of traffic fatalities in many years, 281. Police are working to bring that number down but this year is heading in the opposite direction.

Police have significantly stepped up enforcement of pedestrian crossings with the realization that in the past two years, 200 pedestrians were killed. Police have marked 200 stretches of road in 48 cities as “dangerous” in response to the high number of accidents with serious injuries and fatalities. Special focus is placed on those roads.

Police officials are surprised by the statistics as the first quarter of 2013 winds down, but nevertheless remain optimistic as they continue to step up traffic enforcement efforts in the hope of reducing the number of vehicular accidents.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)