60 Thousand Vehicles, Traffic Jams, Accidents, and Narrow Streets: Osipyan on the Work of the Traffic Police

In Yerevan, the main reasons for traffic jams and transportation accidents are narrow streets and the sharp increase in the number of vehicles. However, from next year, the implementation of a point-based system for drivers is expected to significantly reduce traffic accidents. This opinion was expressed by Police Chief Valery Osipyan during a recent meeting of the Public Council attached to the Police of Armenia, as reported by Armenpress.

"Since January, 60,000 vehicles have been added in Armenia. By the end of the year, an increase of about 20,000 more is possible. However, the intersections and roads remain the same. Weather conditions change, and accidents happen immediately. The problem is complex, and there are different approaches. The number one issue is that our roads and streets are very narrow. When these streets were constructed, they were designed for a maximum of 300,000 vehicles. Our streets are very narrow," said Osipyan, adding that accidents do not necessarily indicate that the Traffic Police are not performing well.

He also mentioned that discussions are currently underway with the Minister of Education and Science regarding class schedules at universities to regulate vehicle flows into the city center. The police chief noted that they are trying to do everything possible, but traffic jams are present even in developed countries. To alleviate the issue, he has instructed the head of the Traffic Police to have at least one traffic police officer stationed at each overloaded intersection. Osipyan acknowledged that as the number of vehicles increases, it is natural that the number of incidents will also rise. He assured that when the point-based system for drivers goes into effect in 2019, traffic accidents and fatalities will decrease significantly right from the first month of its implementation. He pointed out that international experience has shown that the introduction of such a system has led to a 50 percent reduction in accidents during the first month alone.

For the first time in Armenia, a point-based system will be implemented. Each driver will receive 9 points every year, and each violation will carry a certain point value, reducing the 9 points accordingly. When the 9 points are exhausted, the driver’s right to operate a vehicle will be temporarily suspended for a preliminary period of 6 months, according to the draft proposal.