On 7th June 2012, a meeting of the National Council for Road Safety of the Republic of Moldova was urgently convoked to discuss the current road safety situation in the country following a serious crash involving public transport. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Mr Filat. In attendance, and providing expert guidance, was EASST’s partner the Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM).
Several issues were discussed at the meeting, including:
- emergency measures for combating and preventing contraventions of the traffic rules
- a progress report on achieving the goals outlined in the National Strategy for Road Safety
- the drafting of a legislative framework regulating the activity of the units providing driver training
- the structure of the newly established Road Safety Bureau, involving experts from the NGO sector and public administration
- the implementation of a video surveillance system
The Prime Minister emphasised that, according to statistics, 90% of road accidents occur due to violation of the traffic rules by motorists. In this context, the Prime Minister asked the responsible institutions to improve the training programmes for drivers and to ensure objectivity of the examination of infringements. The Prime Minister noted the efficiency of the ACM and others in their public awareness campaigns, as he stressed the importance of accurate information in the sphere of road safety and the importance of engaging the public in preventing and controlling road incidents. The ACM, as an active member of the Council, submitted proposals and its visions for raising the level of road safety in Moldova. It encouraged the introduction of road safety education at kindergarten age in order to shape road behaviour from early childhood.
The creation of a control board was discussed, to include representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Transport and Road Infrastructure, and other institutions, to carry out permanent control of the road safety situation and monitor sanctions for law violation including public transport.
The implementation of a video surveillance system was examined. The project will be developed under a public private partnership and provides for the establishment of an electronic video monitoring system of traffic. The system allows for not only the monitoring of the traffic situation, but also prompt action if necessary, and the development of statistics and analysis, effective planning, and public information. The centralised system will include 250 fixed monitoring units and 50 mobile.
Finally it was decided to develop special technical requirements for telecommunications infrastructure and planning in road design, taking into account the road safety component.
