A total of 6,627 people died from incidents related to road traffic accidents in Argentina in 2019, new data shows.
According to data compiled by the civil association Luchemos por la Vida ("Let's Fight for Life"), an average of 19 people died from such incidents last year, or 552 individuals a month.
Road traffic accidents are primary cause of fatalities for Argentines aged under 35 and the third-biggest cause for Argentines of all ages. Economic losses from chaotic traffic and road accidents exceed US$10 billion annually, according to Noticias Argentinas.
The provinces that registered the highest number of road traffic accidents with fatalities last year include Buenos Aires (2,123), Santa Fe (563), Tucumán (399), Córdoba (378), Misiones (299) and Santiago del Estero (291). In Buenos Aires City, there was a slight increase in numbers from the previous year, from 136 to 143.
By way of contrast, the provinces that saw the fewest victims were Tierra del Fuego (12) and La Pampa (73).
Compared to the previous year, however, numbers did fall. In 2018, fatalities reached 7,274, with a daily average of 20 victims and a monthly average of 606.
The figures were collected by Luchemos por la Vida and are projections of the data collected throughout 2019 and up until to January 6. The civil association also stressed that he information includes persons who died at the scene or as a result of the event within 30 days thereafter.
In related news, an official survey has revealed that 70 percent of people in Argentina believe that road safety laws are not respected by those using the roads.
The poll, carried out by the Observatorio Vial de la Cámara de Empresas de Control y Administración de Infracciones de Tránsito de la República Argentina (CECAITRA), probed issues related to road safety.
Seven out of ten respondents said that respect for road safety rules in Argentina was low (43 percent) or very low (26 percent), while 25 percent of the respondents said that their peers have "high respect" for the rules. Only six percent responded "very high."
Among the most frequent traffic offences recorded in cities were passing through a red light, followed by parking in double rows and carrying out U-turns where they are not allowed. On National Routes and highways speeding lead the ranking of offences.
The survey quizzed 550 drivers in the capital and Greater Buenos Aires.
"Describing ourselves as respectful of the rules and having negative criticism of the rest could indicate that we do not accept our mistakes at the wheel. Every day, we make hundreds of decisions when we drive or walk. Accepting that those decisions are not the right ones would be the first step towards having a road safety awareness that would help us become better drivers and pedestrians," said Facundo Jaime, spokesman for CECAITRA's Road Observatory.
– TIMES/NA
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