Alarming rise in traffic accidents in north Syria | A familiar phenomenon or recklessness and negligence to blame!

 Recently the number of road traffic accidents has risen noticeably and alarmingly in Idlib city and countryside, as many car, motorcycle and truck crashes are documented daily on main roads and side streets. Most of these accidents result in tragic loss of what are the reasons behind such an increase in road traffic accidents?! Are there familiar factors directly responsible for these accidents, like the overpopulation caused by the successive mass exodus, or they are recklessness and negligence of relevant bodies to blame?!

 

Traffic accidents in Idlib in numbers

 

In his testimony to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist in north Idlib countryside talked about the extent of this problem, approximate numbers of the road traffic accidents in Idlib city and countryside and the most common reasons behind such accidents “the noticeable increase in traffic accidents in north Syria region is attributed to several factors, the most prominent of which are:

 

• Lack of safety standards almost completely, including traffic lights.

• Lack of organisation and rules of traffic.

• Unfit and unpaved roads.
• Overpopulation

• Increase in imported cars, and the cars’ high number in north Syria in general, mostly driven by people who are not fit to drive and inexperienced or by children under the age of 18.

 

The situation in the city of Idlib is better than the cities, towns and villages in Idlib countryside, as Idlib city receives  more attention by the HTS-backed ‘traffic police’ that organize traffic, at a time when rural areas suffer from lack of almost all traffic-safety standards. There are no  official statistics regarding the number of traffic accidents, which may reach 10 up to 15 accidents every month. Bodies concerned with administrating the region’s affairs are directly blamed for the rise in accidents. New traffic laws and tougher measures have to be put in place, like placing traffic signs, lightening the roads, setting laws to put an end to the drivers’ violations, deploying more traffic police units in the towns and cities and repaving the roads. All of these suggestions may lead to a reduction inroad traffic accidents. Residents are also partially blamed for the increase in traffic accidents, as some are used to over speeding , while  others are not experienced drivers.”

 

A father loses son in a motorcycle accident

 

Abu Mohamed who has been displaced from Al-Hbit in southern Idlib and lives now in Deir Hassan area in the northern countryside of Idlib has told SOHR details of his sons’ death in a traffic accident. The man said “just one day before the death of Mohammed who was 17 then, the motorcycle  brokedown and I was so busy on that day, so he took the motorcycle on the following day to get it repaired in a nearby workshop. I advised him not to ride the motorcycle, but he did not listen. While he was on his way to the workshop, the motorbike swerved and he crashed into the wall of a building near the road. Some residents took my son to a near hospital. I hurried to see him, but he was in a coma. He later had a surgery. However, he remained in his coma for another week before he died. His death pained all of us, the boy’s family, especially me as I feel guilty for allowing him to get on the motorcycle. I advise everyone not to allow their sons to drive cars or ride motorcycles, especially with the recent state of disorder, the lack of arrangement and the lack of ‘good’ traffic signs controlling the movement of vehicles.”

 

A young man becomes disabled after two separate accidents

 

Another 29-year-old displaced young man known as Ibrahim al-Mohammed, who have been displaced from the western countryside of Hama to Kafr Takharim town in the northern countryside of Idlib, shared his experience with SOHR, as he sustained injuries in his legs due to two separate accidents in 2020, which left him unable to walk. The young man said, “in early 2020, I was ridingmy motorcycle to the market for buying essentials. I was surprised with another man ridinghis motorcycle too fast and heading towards me, but I could remember nothing more about the accident. I woke up at the hospital with my knee broken as well as bruises all over my body. After examinations, doctors found out that the ligaments of my leg had been torn. After I had a surgery, I was forced to stay in bed for months, being unable to move. The second accident took place after recovery. I was delivering my mother to a place outside the town, and on my way home, I fell off the motorcycle due to a technical malfunction. The accident further damaged my my injured leg, which forced me to have several surgeries. Now I could move only with a walling stick. However, it is very difficult for me to move. I hope that roads will be improved soon, traffic signs be placed and prosecution of violators is implemented.”

 

Bus and taxi drivers’ perspective

 

A taxi driver known by his initials as A.M. working on Bab Al-Hawa road in north Idlib sees that the traffic accidents will never stop as long as population is on the rise as well as the relevant bodies are lenient with the violators. A.M. has talked to SOHR about some mistakes committed by car and motorcycle drivers saying, “every day, I see many people driving their cars and riding motorcycles in a slapdash manner, while some drive in the opposite direction of the traffic. Such behaviour increases the likelihood of more accidents happening as a result. It is worth noting that no more 30% of the safety standards are reached on the roads throughout Idlib city and countryside. Bus and motorcycles drivers are also responsible for the safety of people, so they have to learn how to drive properly, and to keep in mind that they are not the only ones moving on the roads and that their reckless behaviour poses a threat to the safety and lives of others. Finally, I advise all parents not to give their vehicles to children and watch their sons’ driving of vehicles, particularly motorcycles.”

 

 

Achievable solutions

 

An activist in Idlib city has suggested to SOHR several “achievable” solutions suitable for the situation in north Syria and could reduce  road traffic accidents. Some of these solutions can be summarised in the following:

 

• Increasing the number of traffic police units in all cities and towns.

 

• Reducing the fees of vehicles’ registrations, so that everyone can officially register their vehicles.

 

• Rehabilitating main roads and side streets and providing them with new traffic signs.

 

• Setting speed bumps, especially in front of schools, at the entrances of residential neighbourhoods, markets and every crowded places.

 

• Working on raising awareness of residents through distributing leaflets, publishing advertisements and holding seminars.

 

• Arranging the two-way or dual-carriage roads and providing them with traffic signs and lights.

 

With no workable solution looming on the horizon, traffic accidents in north Syria would remain the residents’ “nightmare”.