President Christophias undermines road safety efforts again

President Christophias has again undermined the efforts of those trying to promote road safety in Cyprus.

He has pardoned a former MP who owes €900 in traffic fines and has points on his licence for speeding.  His reasoning is that the former DISY MP Andreas Themistocleous, is exempt from prosecution by the constitution.  This however is disputed by many but supported by his appointee the Attorney General Petros Clerides.  Instead of allowing the court to make the decision he has taken it upon himself.

This is not the first time the pair have undermined road safety efforts.  In July 2008 the President pardoned a colleague Emily Lemoniati, a Paphos lawyer who was caught driving while already disqualified for serous traffic offences and was sentence to 30 days prison.  On that occasion he refused to make any attempt to give reasoning or justify his decision saying, “I do not have to give the reasons behind my decision.” which in its self more than hints at partiality rather than the rule of law.

The Attorney General was instrumental in that decision as well. One wonders exactly what his job description is. He does not seem to be upholding the law in a fair, equal and unbiased way.

Failing to treat all people equally for traffic offences sends totally the wrong road safety message to the general public.

It also calls into serious question the Presidents’ and the Attorney Generals’ commitment to reducing road deaths and casualties in Cyprus.

If it held by a court that MPs are exempt prosecution for traffic offences then the anomaly should be rectified immediately. Any decisions and reasoning where exemptions are made regarding certain traffic laws should be transparent and available to public scrutiny.


Parking campaign Limassol

Limassol, Cyprus

The Traffic Department Limassol in collaboration with the traffic police of the Limassol Municipality, are undertaking a campaign entitled “Clean main roads in Limassol”.

Over three weeks, they have served over 1000 written warnings for illegal parking on major roads in the city of Limassol and Wednesday, March 21, 2012, will begin the campaign for illegal parking complaints.

The campaign will cover all the points in the city, where there is illegal parking and obstruction of traffic. The main emphasis is on illegal parking in places such as that have no double yellow lines, such as corners, pedestrian crossings, bus stops, disabled parking, traffic lights etc.

“Complaints are not ends in themselves, we believe it is time to move forward in issuing tickets and advice, for purposes of preventing and combating illegal parking in the city of Limassol, a phenomenon that generates enough traffic problems and hazards to road safety”.

“Note that in cases where illegal parking is against the driving direction, designated space, walkways and bus stops will be zero tolerance and drivers will be reported immediately”.

“We urge all drivers to comply with traffic regulations and to avoid illegal parking so as not to suffer the consequences of the law”.

“The campaign will continue and complete when it is found that the main roads of the city of Limassol is free from illegal parking, which will contribute to the smooth and safe movement of all. This effort requires the contribution of all without exception since the issue of road safety for everyone”.

Εκστρατεία του Τμήματος Τροχαίας Λεμεσού σε συνεργασία με το Δήμο Λεμεσού υπό τον τίτλο «Καθαρές κεντρικές οδικές αρτηρίες στη Λεμεσό»

Ανακοινώνεται ότι, το Τμήμα Τροχαίας Λεμεσού σε συνεργασία με την Τροχονομία του Δήμου Λεμεσού, αναλαμβάνουν εκστρατεία υπό τον τίτλο «Καθαρές κεντρικές οδικές αρτηρίες στη Λεμεσό» που αφορά ένα από τα κυριότερα προβλήματα της πόλης της Λεμεσού, αυτό των παράνομων σταθμεύσεων.
Για το σκοπό αυτό, εδώ και τρεις εβδομάδες, έχουν επιδοθεί πέραν των 1000 γραπτών προειδοποιήσεων για παράνομες σταθμεύσεις σε κύριες οδικές αρτηρίες της πόλης της Λεμεσού και από την Τετάρτη 21 Μαρτίου 2012, θα αρχίσει η εκστρατεία καταγγελιών για παράνομες σταθμεύσεις.
Η εκστρατεία θα καλύψει όλα τα σημεία «αιχμής» στην πόλη, όπου παρατηρείται παράνομη στάθμευση και παρακώλυση κυκλοφορίας. Κύρια έμφαση θα δοθεί στις παράνομες σταθμεύσεις, σε σημεία που υπάρχει διπλή κίτρινη γραμμή, σε γωνίες, διαβάσεις πεζών, στάσεις λεωφορείων, χώρους στάθμευσης αναπήρων, φώτα τροχαίας κ.α.
Οι καταγγελίες δεν αποτελούν αυτοσκοπό, ωστόσο επειδή έχουμε προβεί στην έκδοση γραπτών παρατηρήσεων, κρίνουμε ότι έφτασε ή ώρα να προχωρήσουμε στη διενέργεια καταγγελιών, για σκοπούς πρόληψης και πάταξης των παράνομων σταθμεύσεων στην πόλη της Λεμεσού, φαινόμενο που δημιουργεί αρκετά κυκλοφοριακά προβλήματα, αλλά και κινδύνους για την οδική ασφάλεια.
Επισημαίνεται ότι, στις περιπτώσεις όπου η παράνομη στάθμευση γίνεται κατά προκλητικό τρόπο δηλαδή διπλοπαρκαρίσματα, εναντίον της φοράς οδήγησης, σε χώρο αναπήρων, διαβάσεις πεζών και στάσεις λεωφορείων, θα επιδεικνύεται μηδενική ανοχή και οι οδηγοί θα καταγγέλλονται πάραυτα.
Καλούμε όλους τους οδηγούς να συμμορφώνονται με τους κανόνες οδικής κυκλοφορίας, να αποφεύγουν τις παράνομες σταθμεύσεις στους χώρους που έχουν προαναφερθεί, για να μην υποστούν τις συνέπειες του νόμου.
Σημειώνεται ότι, η εκστρατεία θα συνεχιστεί και θα ολοκληρωθεί όταν διαπιστωθεί ότι οι κεντρικές οδικές αρτηρίες της πόλης της Λεμεσού είναι απαλλαγμένες από παράνομες σταθμεύσεις, γεγονός που θα συμβάλει στην απρόσκοπτη και ασφαλή διακίνηση όλων, χωρίς εκνευρισμούς, εντάσεις και διαμαρτυρίες. Στην προσπάθεια αυτή απαιτείται η συμβολή όλων ανεξαιρέτως αφού το θέμα της Οδικής ασφάλειας αφορά τον καθένα μας.


New laws for cyclists soon

Several new laws are proposed to improve road safety for cyclists and other road users.

Proposals include:

  • Must keep both hands on handlebars except when signaling.
  • Prohibition of using a mobile phone when cycling.
  • Alcohol limits will apply.
  • Having to comply with road traffic regulations, such as one way streets and traffic signs.
  • There will be a requirement to display lights at night.

Stricter punishments on the way for traffic violators

Cyprus Police Mobile Alcotest Unit

Image by CyprusDriving via Flickr

UP TO 12 months without a licence and higher fines are set to be some of the changes being made to existing traffic laws via two new bills to be ready this autumn, according to Communications Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis.

She was speaking after a meeting with the Road Safety Committee yesterday.

According to Marcoullis the changes will involve revoking a licence for six to twelve months or denying violators the right to obtain one, depending on the case.

She also stressed that once a driver has accumulated 12 points they will be denied, by a court’s decision, from being allowed to get a licence. Higher fines should also be expected, she said.

The second bill involves the issue of obtaining a driving licence and motorcycle licence. “Significant changes will be made concerning the law in order to increase the age which a permit can be obtained,” said Marcoullis, adding that there should be a practical test for those applying for a motorcycle licence as well.

Currently a person must be seventeen and a half to get a permit to drive a car.

The amendments were discussed with reference to a study by the University of Cyprus called “Factors and practices that help reduce road accidents among young people as well as proposals.”

People under 25 comprise one third of all road deaths.

Other issues discussed were the ongoing problems of speeding, drink driving and driving under the influence of drugs.

Some of the actions to be taken by the police are increased policing while focusing on young drivers, zero tolerance for drink drivers and the introduction of the narcotest.

Marcoullis said that another two bills were pending at the House involving drivers who repeatedly drive under the influence of alcohol and other substances, which includes provisions to lower the alcohol limit for young drivers and some other categories, along with the narcotest.


Motorcycle accidents high

CYPRUS has one of the highest number of fatalities among motorcyclists, according to the European Transport Safety Council’s Road Safety Performance Index.

The report showed that there had been almost a five per cent increase in motorcyclists dying on the island’s road from 2001 until 2009.

Furthermore, Cyprus recorded the second highest number of road victims in residential areas.

“Regarding motorcyclists, Cyprus has one of the highest number of fatalities in the EU,” Head of the police headquarters traffic department Demetris Demetriou said yesterday.

“But there are certain positive comments for Cyprus too; for example, in non-residential areas, we have the lowest percentage of road deaths in Europe for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.”


Risking children’s lives – Cyprus Weekly

By John Leonidou

ALL TOO OFTEN, PARENTS AND MINDERS FAIL TO STRAP CHILDREN IN THEIR CARS DESPITE CYPRUS HAVING A HIGH ROAD ACCIDENT RATE

Most parents in Cyprus are not doing enough to properly ensure the safety of their children when they get behind the wheel.
This is the opinion of two traffic and vehicle experts who told The Cyprus Weekly that drivers who fail to properly strap in their children are effectively endangering their lives.

EU laws set out specific regulations on child safety in vehicles, but this appears to be brushed aside in Cyprus, as children can often be spotted unbuckled in the back seat or, more worryingly, sitting on somebody’s lap in the front seat of the car.

“If the police have statistics showing that only 40% of parents buckle in their children when they are driving, then we obviously know that 60% don’t and that is very worrying”, said Andreas Papas, who is a traffic safety consultant.

“It’s very much in our culture not to take precautionary measures when we drive, unfortunately. This is mostly passed from adults to children because we even see grandparents or other minders picking up children from nurseries and schools and not putting them in correct seats.”

Mike Moorby, who is a Coordinator of Road Safety and the Advanced Driving Network in Cyprus, agrees. “There is basically a lack of knowledge from parents and drivers in general about the risks of not having child safety seats. They simply don’t understand the physics involved when you have a crash. I think that is basically due to the drivers believing that they can restrain the child in the event of an accident. This is something which is obviously impossible to do. Getting the message across is proving difficult, so I believe the best method to combat this problem is to fine the parents or drivers”

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Cyprus “behind in road safety”

Cyprus has managed over the past five years to reduce the number of people injured in road accidents by 50% and the deaths by 41%, said Wednesday Minister of Communications and Works Erato Kozakou Marcoullis.

Speaking during a ceremony during which journalists received award for their work to promote road safety, Marcoullis added that Cyprus in comparison with other EU member states is far behind road safety as shown by statistics.

The Minister of Justice and Public Order Loucas Louca, addressing the ceremony, referred to the significant role of the media in preventing road accidents by informing the public about road safety rules.


Grand Road Safety Project 001

What was described as the biggest road safety campaign in Cyprus  was launched yesterday.

Over a million leaflets have been printed giving information on legal obligations such as speed limits, seatbelt use and alcohol driving limits. The information is for both locals and tourists.

The leaflets are to be placed in all areas such as tourist resorts and airplanes where tourists have access to them.

The campaign is called the Grand Road Safety Project 001