The Jordanian Strategy Forum recommended linking vehicle insurance premiums to the age group and those causing repeated accidents, considering changing the insurance premium (third party / against third parties) paid by each category, and for stakeholders to study the impact of compulsory insurance on traffic accidents, and the financial performance of insurance companies.

The forum wondered if the current premium of 92 Jordanian dinars increases accidents and increases the losses of insurance companies, noting that if the financial impact is negative, there is a strong argument not only for increasing this amount, but also for increasing it upward for individuals who cause frequent traffic accidents.

In a policy paper it issued entitled “Investing in Traffic Safety to Unleash Economic Potential,” on the occasion of the United Nations celebration of the International Week of “Road Safety” during the period between 12-16 May, the Forum stressed the need to develop programs to correct drivers’ behavior through implementing campaigns to increase Awareness of road safety risks, and the importance of adhering to safety measures such as seat belts, helmets, conscious driving, and adhering to speed limits on the roads.

He called for avoiding unsafe driving and other risky behaviors. In addition to improving the road infrastructure by designing it according to public safety standards, allocating safe passages for pedestrians, placing the necessary traffic signs and signals, in addition to preserving, expanding and maintaining the existing roads on a regular basis.

The forum stressed the need to strengthen law enforcement and increase monitoring of traffic violations, with strict penalties for violators. In addition to developing the public transport system by providing convenient, accurate and effective public transport systems, and encouraging the use of alternative and sustainable means of transport such as walking, cycling and shared use of cars, which can help reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, and thus reduce the risk of accidents.

The forum indicated that investing in technology and innovation such as lane departure warning systems, speed control in vehicles, and the use of artificial intelligence applications to monitor roads and pedestrian paths will contribute to developing preventive mechanisms to predict traffic accidents and enhance road safety.

The forum stressed the importance of investing in research and analysis to study accident data and identify their patterns and contributing factors, in order to direct the design of policies and strategies to mitigate the human and economic losses of traffic accidents, in addition to enhancing joint and coordinated action between all relevant governmental and legal agencies, and transport agencies and authorities. , health care providers, insurance companies, and community organizations within an integrated, rational governance system that implements effective strategies and contingency plans to mitigate traffic accidents and their negative effects.

The policy paper issued by the forum aims to identify the most important causes behind traffic accidents, highlight the most important observations about human traffic accidents in Jordan and some other countries, and draw lessons learned to improve road safety in the Kingdom.

The forum referred to the priority of the transport sector in the “vision of economic modernization.” Where the “transport and logistics” sector came as one of the four growth priorities within the “high-value industries” engine, indicating that the vision document focused on the priorities of the transport and logistics sector, stating that “despite Jordan’s possession of a modern road network, there is an urgent need to strengthen networks Transportation, especially the railway transportation network, and connectivity with neighboring countries in the region.”

The forum reviewed the most prominent weaknesses in the transport sector, according to what was stated in the economic modernization vision. They are both poor road and rail infrastructure, and the main dependence on private cars, as a result of the great shortage of public transport, and the resulting congestion.

According to the economic modernization vision, the “Transport and Logistics Services” axis included 16 initiatives with a total expected investment of 3.1 billion Jordanian dinars between the years (2022-2033). This amount constitutes 7.5% of the total financing required to see the economic modernization, which amounts to 41.4 billion Jordanian dinars.

Some of these initiatives included improving the infrastructure of the transport sector and its services, developing a comprehensive plan to develop public transport throughout the Kingdom, developing traffic safety policies, in addition to strengthening regional transport links.

The forum reviewed some observations from the “Road Accident Injuries” report issued by the World Health Organization in June 2022; Pointing out that road accident injuries are the main cause of death for children and youth between the ages of 5-29, as nearly 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic accidents.

The report indicated that 93% of the world’s road accident deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. These countries own nearly 60% of the vehicles in the world. In addition, traffic accidents cost most countries around the world about 3% of their gross domestic product.

The forum highlighted the main causes of traffic collisions and accidents, according to the World Health Organization report, which are speed, as every 1% increase in average speed results in an increase in the risk of fatal accidents by 4%, and the risk of serious collisions by 3%. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as it increases the risk of traffic accidents, and the risk increases exponentially with the increase in the concentration of alcohol in the driver’s blood.

Wearing seat belts reduces the risk of death.

With regard to not using safety measures, the report indicated that the risk of death decreases among drivers and front seat passengers by 45-50% when seat belts are fastened. The percentage of fatalities or serious injuries among rear seat passengers is reduced by 25% when seat belts are worn. In addition, drivers who use mobile phones while driving are four times more likely to crash than drivers who do not use them.

Regarding the infrastructure, the report indicated the importance of taking into account the safety of all road users when designing it, which means the need to ensure that there are sufficient facilities that meet the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, stressing that if these instructions are applied to the standards for manufacturing and producing vehicles, many problems will be avoided. Human accidents and injuries.

The report indicated that the delay in providing care after the accident and providing the necessary care for the injured is a major reason for increasing the severity of injuries.

In its paper, the forum reviewed the most important observations about traffic accidents in Jordan and some other countries, pointing out that the number of registered vehicles in Jordan has increased significantly in the past fifty years, and the Kingdom has witnessed a huge increase in individual ownership of vehicles relative to the population. The ownership ratio was one vehicle for every 68.6 people in 1970, and it became one vehicle for every 6.2 people in 2021.

The report indicated that as a result of the huge increase in the number of vehicles registered in Jordan, a significant increase in vehicle accidents and human injuries is expected, as cases of injury increased from 8,439 cases in 1981 to more than 17,000 cases in 2021.

The number of deaths resulting from traffic accidents increased from 457 in 1981 to 589 in 2021.

The number of injuries per 10,000 vehicles decreased from 369.3 in 2001, to 116.0 in 2016, and to 97.4 in 2021. The number of injuries per 100,000 inhabitants also decreased from 363.4 in 2001, to 177.9 in 2016, and to 158.1 injuries in 2021.

He pointed out that the number of deaths decreased from 15.4 deaths per 10,000 vehicles in 2001, to 5 deaths in 2016, and to 3.3 deaths in 2021. The number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants decreased from 15.1 deaths in 2001 to 7.7 deaths in 2016. , and to 5.3 deaths in 2021.

When comparing the reality of the Jordanian case with some developed countries, the paper indicated that Jordan’s performance is not satisfactory. The death rate per 100,000 inhabitants in Jordan is (5.3) deaths, and this number is much higher than Norway (1.5) deaths, Sweden (1.9) deaths, Denmark (2.2) deaths, and other countries, and the number of deaths per 10,000 vehicles is 3.3 mortality, which is much higher than Ireland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. However, it is close to other countries such as Chile and Colombia.

The forum included in the policy paper some observations on human accidents in Jordan, based on the annual reports of the Public Security Directorate for the year 2021, indicating that the number of human injury incidents varies, on average, according to the months of the year, and it is also remarkable that the number of human injury incidents does not decrease. During the weekend (Friday and Saturday), compared to the rest of the week.

Most of the human injury accidents occur on clear weather days, and the number of human injury accidents decreases dramatically during the early morning hours. The report also indicated that most accidents involving human casualties occur on roads with low speeds (from 40 to 60 kilometers per hour).

– 320 million dinars, the cost of traffic accidents.

With regard to registered drivers, the largest number of registered drivers is in the age groups below 41 years. The age group (18-29 years) represents 21.3% of the total number of registered drivers, and this category is responsible for 28.2% of the total human injury accidents. The age group (30-41 years) represents 30.6% of the total number of registered drivers, and is responsible for 30.2% of the total human injury accidents.

As for the age group (42-50 years), it represents 18.9% of the total number of registered drivers, and is responsible for 15.0% of the total human injury accidents. The age group (51-59 years) represents 13.8% of the total number of registered drivers, and it is responsible for 8.8% of the total human injury accidents. The age group of 60 years and over represents 15.4% of the total number of licensed drivers, and this group is responsible for 17.7% of the total human injury accidents.

On the financial cost of traffic accidents, the report indicated that the cost of traffic accidents amounted to about 320 million dinars in the year 2021.

In this context, the Jordanian Strategy Forum included its recommendations to make road transport more effective, efficient, and sustainable, stressing that the implementation of the vision of economic modernization in general, and the initiatives related to the transport and logistics sector in particular, will contribute to reducing the human and economic costs of human casualty accidents, and enhance the release of potentials. economic.

The forum paper referred to the importance of adopting a comprehensive policy to set, maintain and maintain road traffic regulations. By clearly defining traffic lanes, and using visible colors for drivers. Such as placing longitudinal road signs (continuous and intermittent), which guide the driver while driving, direct him forward, and also warn him of dangerous transgressions between lanes.

She explained that the vast majority of human injury accidents occur on roads with low speeds (40-60 km/h). The paper stressed the need for the government, in all governorates, to install appropriate cameras. Adopting a well-thought-out fines system would deter drivers from committing violations.

The kingdom