Road Safety is a Global Issue Affecting All Countries

Road safety is a global issue that affects all countries, regardless of their level of development. Every year, millions of people are injured or killed in road traffic accidents.

Since the declaration of independence (August 27, 1991), 83,187 road traffic accidents have been recorded in the Republic of Moldova, in which 12,709 people lost their lives and 98,779 were injured. The number of recorded fatalities is similar to the population of an average-sized town in Moldova and represents about one-third of the annual deaths in the country.

In 2022, 2,312 road traffic accidents were recorded, resulting in 217 deaths and 2,586 injuries. The road accident rate has decreased by 11% over the past 10 years, while fatalities from road traffic accidents have decreased by 33%, and injuries by about 20%. These figures demonstrate a reduction in the severity of accidents and an improvement in law enforcement prevention, considering that severity is directly related to speed management.

The fatality rate per number of accidents is also above the European average (one death per 45 road traffic accidents), while in the Republic of Moldova, this ratio has remained constant over several years, with one death for every 10 accidents. However, it should be noted that this rate has significantly improved in recent years.

The most common causes of road accidents in the Republic of Moldova are:

   Excessive speed
   Failure to yield the right of way
   Driving under the influence of alcohol
   Violation of traffic rules

A key issue for all developing countries, including the Republic of Moldova, is the safety of vulnerable road users. With a general share of over 35% of the total recorded road accidents, pedestrian accidents are the most frequent type of accident on public roads. Pedestrians account for 36% of all road fatalities, compared to the European average of 27%, and around 19% in high-income countries (World Health Organization, 2018). Road safety policies are largely based on the introduction of legislative and regulatory standards related to driver prevention, but they do not focus on integrated management. Measures are typically implemented separately, without multi-sectoral coordination, aiming to convince users to ensure their own safety and assume that other road users will follow the same regulations.

As a rule, these measures only have short-term effects on a limited group of users, and accident statistics clearly demonstrate this, with situations often returning to their original state within 1-2 years, depending on users' habits and authorities' persistence.

Focusing entirely on the human factor for road safety is outdated and distances authorities from the real issues and viable solutions. The excessive emphasis on individual responsibility and placing sole blame for an accident or road situation on the victim places authorities on the wrong track, distancing them from the actual state of affairs and their competencies.

Authorities in the Republic of Moldova have already taken some measures to improve road safety, such as increasing fines for traffic violations and intensifying inspections. However, more efforts are needed to reduce the number of road accidents and to make Moldova’s roads safer.

Here are some concrete actions that each of us can take to contribute to improving road safety:

   Follow traffic rules
   Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
   Do not drive at excessive speeds
   Be attentive to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users
   Be an example for those around you, demonstrating correct and tolerant behavior

Each person can make a difference in reducing the number of road accidents. By following traffic rules and adopting safe behaviors, we can make roads in the Republic of Moldova safer for everyone.

This infographic was created within the "Safe Roads to School" project, funded by UNICEF Moldova, FIA, and the FIA Foundation. The project aims to improve institutional capacities for road safety and promote healthy behaviors among key stakeholders, including children and adolescents.