Buleleng regency is in the second rate after Badung regency in term of traffic accidents. There were still a lot of accidents in Buleleng although the policy makers have been socialized the new traffic rule, safety riding program that ask the riders to switch on the lamp of their cars or motorcycle when they are on the road.
The socialization of the new rule started on January 26, 2007. There were pro and contra in the society about this new rule. Some of them obey the rule by switching on their lamp, but some did not. The riders who did not obey the rule mostly stated that they did not agree with the new rule because they were dazzled by the glare of other vehicles’ lamps in front of them, besides, switching on the lamp all they long when they were on the road would be lavish on lamp and accumulator, and they would influence their finance.
Two policemen in Buleleng named Gede Nama Wijaya and Gede Sudiana stated that at the beginning of the socialization, the new rule got good response; more than 50% people in Buleleng have been aware of their safety on the road. They implemented the new traffic rule, not only by switching on the lamp of their vehicles, but also by using standard helmet, using 2 original rear view mirrors (not the modified one) to make them easier checking the other vehicles behind, and using left traffic lane.
Nama Wijaya explained that 12 days before the first day of the socialization of Safety Riding Program, there were 16 traffic accidents, 5 people died and 30 people were injured, while 12 days after the socialization, there were 9 traffic accidents with 19 people were injured, and no one died. The data indicated that the traffic accidents in buleleng could be minimized by the Safety Riding Program. And the police hoped all riders in Buleleng will always obey that new traffic rule.
However, the data of the traffic accidents in Buleleng about a month after the socialization did not show significant changes. The Safety Riding Program has not decreased the number of accident in Buleleng yet. There were 34 traffic accidents until the end of February 2007, 6 people died and 64 people were injured, and the material lose from those accidents was estimated about more than 31 million rupiah. If it is compared with the accidents in January, the accidents were 34, 8 people died, 66 people were injured, and the material lose was about 22 million rupiah. There is no significant changes at all.
The Chief of Traffic Section in Buleleng, AKP Made Wartamana clarified that the high number of accident in Buleleng was mostly because the riders did not obey the traffic, and used right traffic lane. Moreover, the bad weather, the cloud, rain and wind may also lead the accident. The rain may cause landslide in some areas in Singaraja – Denpasar, Singaraja – Kintaman, and Singaraja – Pupuan routes.
Wartamana added that the accident in the bad weather may be avoided if the riders obey the new rule to switch on the lamp of their motorcycle. The cloud and rain caused the riders difficult to see the surrounding. If the riders switch on the lamp, the other riders will be aware of the light and know that there were other vehicles in front or behind them in certain distance. The light of the lamp may also help the riders to see the road, the pedestrians, and others.
In order to anticipate the increasing number of traffic accidents in buleleng, Buleleng police has put street banners about Safety Riding Program in strategic places and will always give socialization to the society.
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