Arsen Torosyan Addresses Road Traffic Incidents and Casualty Figures

Arsen Torosyan, a member of the National Assembly from the ruling Civil Contract party, has addressed the issue of road traffic accidents and the resulting casualty figures. He stated, "I requested statistics from the Minister of Internal Affairs regarding road traffic accidents (RTA) during 2023, including the number of injured and deceased citizens due to these incidents.

In 2023, the number of RTAs, injuries, and fatalities has increased. A total of 378 citizens lost their lives due to RTAs in 2023, compared to 320 in 2022, indicating an increase of 18.1%. Furthermore, 6,538 citizens were injured in 2023, compared to 6,154 in 2022, reflecting a 6.2% rise. The total number of RTAs in 2023 stood at 4,614, compared to 4,306 in 2022, marking a 7.2% increase.

Essentially, we can conclude that in terms of road traffic safety, there has been a regression in 2023 compared to 2022, although there had been progress in 2022 compared to 2021. Of course, in terms of fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, we have always ranked among the countries with high fatality rates. For 2023, this figure is 12.6, but it could have been 3.7, similar to Germany, where there are no speed limits on highways. In just the last five years, 1,755 individuals have died in traffic accidents—equivalent to the population of a fairly large village.

Why do we mourn each untimely death or casualty during warfare or due to other reasons, yet remain indifferent towards these hundreds and thousands of fatalities? Out of the 1,755 citizens who lost their lives in traffic accidents in the past five years, one could have been us or one of our loved ones; unfortunately, in some cases, that has indeed been the reality.

Why are we so intolerant when it comes to discussing the importance of enhancing road traffic safety and implementing measures that contribute to it? Don’t we ultimately want to save ourselves, our children, our relatives, and our friends? Road traffic safety depends on three factors:

• drivers' behavior (adherence to traffic rules),
• transport infrastructure (road surface, markings, signs),
• the technical condition of vehicles (comprehensive technical inspections, etc.).

If we do not see significant improvements in these three areas, then this statistics, which are actually lives and not just numbers, will continue to deteriorate," he wrote on his Facebook page.