At the Government session under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov considered measures of road safety. First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Marat Kozhaev, Acting Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev, Head of the Ministry for Emergency Situations Syrym Sharipkhanov, Akim of Turkestan region Darkhan Satybaldy made reports on this issue. 

For 8 months of the current year the indicators of accidents have decreased in the republic: traffic accidents by 13%, injured by 16%, as well as killed people. Thus, the life and health of almost 2 thousand citizens were saved. This was reported by First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Marat Kozhayev. According to his data, despite the overall positive trend in Almaty city, Almaty, Zhambyl, Turkestan regions and Zhetysu region there is still a high level of accidents. One of the main reasons is the condition of roads and infrastructure. According to statistics, settlements account for 73% of road accidents. A quarter of fatalities are related to collisions with pedestrians.

"At unregulated crossings, serious accidents are 5 times more likely to occur. There are only 250 elevated and underground crosswalks in the country. In general, there are none in Mangystau region, North Kazakhstan region and Ulytau. Today it is required to install more than 1 thousand traffic lights; 1.5 thousand "countdown" scoreboard; 25 thousand road signs; more than 1 million kilometers of road markings," the speaker said. 

The situation on country roads is difficult. They account for the majority of serious accidents, 50% of fatalities. This level is even higher in Akmola, Aktobe, Almaty, Atyrau, Zhambyl, North Kazakhstan and Zhetysu regions.

"In recent years, modern highways are being equipped. This affects road safety. So, if 15 years ago on the roads we lost more than 4 thousand citizens - now it is 2 times less. We need to continue this work," the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said. 

Now the roads of the first category with four or more lanes are only 2%. Most of them are built according to the old standards. They are two-lane, the width is no more than 7 meters. It is necessary to ensure the transfer of more than 6 thousand kilometers of roads from the second and third category to the first. It is also proposed to introduce liability for exceeding the "average speed" on country roads.

A separate problem is illegal trucking companies. Often, in pursuit of profit, they travel non-stop, without sleep or rest between regions. The vehicles they use are unsafe, and the drivers do not comply with the requirements of the Rules of Passenger Transportation.

"In this regard, it is proposed to oblige private cab carriers using Internet aggregators to undergo a pre-trip medical and daily inspection of vehicles; 2 times a year - mandatory technical inspection; and also to provide for restrictions on drivers being behind the wheel for more than 8 hours," Kozhayev stated. 

Another reason for the accident rate is the rapid growth of the country's car fleet. Over the last 5 years the number of vehicles has increased by a quarter. At the same time, the service life of half of the vehicles exceeds 20 years. There is also no proper control over the technical condition of transportation. 

"Inspection centers work on the principle of commercial benefit. Since the beginning of the year, 7.5 thousand drivers have been brought to responsibility for driving a defective car. In this regard, the responsibility of operators of inspection stations should be strengthened; licensing should be introduced. All these factors are aggravated by low transportation discipline. More than 5.5 million violations of traffic rules were stopped. About 15,000 drunk drivers were detained. The courts deprived 9,000 drivers of the right to drive. 15,000 people were subjected to administrative arrest. More than 215 thousand pedestrians were fined," the official data was announced by the first deputy interior minister.

According to him, such a state of affairs was facilitated by the reduction of requirements to driving schools and the quality of driver training. In this regard, the Interior Ministry amended the rules of examinations. They made the procedure open. The process of passing exams is now monitored through online broadcasting. A norm on mandatory registration of trainees in the information system "Avtoshkola" has been introduced. Thereby eliminating the possibility of adjusting the lists.

"Now the second package of amendments has been developed. The transition to electronic certificates of completion of training courses and medical certificates is planned. In addition, the issue of abolishing independent driver training is being worked out. With the support of local executive bodies, digital solutions are being introduced in the sphere of road safety. Currently, 22,000 automatic cameras for recording traffic violations are installed on the roads. They are used to record 50% of all violations," Marat Kozhayev said. 

In Astana and Shymkent, the figure is up to 70%. However, their number is insufficient on a national scale. There are only 29 cameras each in Ulytau and Zhetysu. There are less than 150 cameras in Kostanay, Akmola, West Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, North Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions.

Work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs point by point on persistent violators, using the program "Korgau". It allows to automatically identify cars with false license plates, without insurance, wanted or violating traffic rules and not paying fines. With its help about 1.5 thousand facts of using false license plates have already been revealed. 6 thousand drivers deprived of driving license have been identified. 8.5 thousand license plates were confiscated. 29,000 vehicles have been impounded.

Marat Kozhayev appealed to regional akims and proposed to accelerate the expansion of the network of automatic cameras, including those connected to the "Korgau" system. 

Another issue is electric scooters and mopeds. Their number has noticeably increased. Non-observance of traffic rules by their owners leads to accidents, including fatal ones. In this regard, on August 30 this year, a bill developed jointly with the deputies of the Majilis was adopted, which enshrines the concept of electric scooters, rules of movement, as well as the rights and obligations of their drivers. In September this year, more than 1.7 thousand violations by scooter drivers were revealed. Including 562 facts of driving on the roadway by minors.

"It is impossible to solve this problem only by police methods. Akimats need to take measures to develop infrastructure: arrangement of dedicated lanes; construction of separate bicycle lanes; delimitation of cities into prohibited zones for their use," summarized the general, asking to support the initiatives of the department, envisaged by the draft Concept of ensuring public safety.

The document was developed on the instructions of the Head of State. It provides for joint responsibility of all authorized state bodies and akimats. Implementation of the above measures will ensure favorable conditions for road users, as well as reduce the accident rate on the roads of the country.

Talgat Lastayev, Acting Minister of Transport, spoke about systemic measures aimed at ensuring road safety. For the organization of road traffic on accident-prone areas arranged more than 5 thousand square meters of noise strips, installed about 450 LED signs and 500 road buffers to avoid collision with obstacles. Transit corridors are being reconstructed to eliminate accident-prone areas by technical parameters. To reduce oncoming collisions, 3,000 kilometers of roads have been reconstructed and converted to technical category I with separation of oncoming traffic. To reduce pedestrian collisions, 52 urban bypasses have been built and 32 elevated pedestrian bridges have been constructed. To reduce accidents involving animals, about 1.5 thousand kilometers of animal fences have been installed, and 113 cattle drives have been constructed. The tolling system is being gradually integrated with the Unified Register of Administrative Offenses (URAP) and currently, speed limit violators have already been brought to administrative responsibility in 8 sections, 1.7 thousand km long.

"As part of the improvement of regulatory documents, over 1 thousand industry documents, including those related to road safety issues, will be updated by the end of 2023. In order to ensure safety on bypass roads, the issue of separate road construction is normatively fixed, which will reduce the number of accidents on temporary bypass roads in the implemented projects. The first pilot projects will be "Aktobe-Karabutak-Ulgaisyn" and "Karaganda-Zhezkazgan", we are now developing the design and construction plans. In the future, regardless of traffic intensity, it is planned to build more than 4 thousand km of roads with 4-lane traffic between the cities," the representative of the Ministry of Transport emphasized. 

To date, within the framework of loans from international financial institutions, the assessment of road safety is carried out with the help of consultants "EuroRAP". Road safety assessment is envisaged in the reconstruction projects of "Balkhash-Burylbaital" and "Kyzylorda-Zhezkazgan" sections. By the end of the year on 10 sections with a length of 2.3 thousand kilometers the system will also be integrated with EuroRAP, which will reduce accidents associated with speeding.

"Taking into account the condition of vehicles, which affects road safety, since the beginning of the year the activities of 350 unscrupulous operators of technical inspection have been suspended, 131 administrative materials with fines have been drawn up. Work is underway to increase fines against technical inspection operators from 10 to 150 MRP for conducting technical inspection without a vehicle. Also fines will be introduced in respect of vehicle owners for passing a fictitious technical inspection and the operator of the EIS "Tekhosvidr" for violation of the requirements of the Rules of organization and conduct of technical inspection," the speaker said. 

Talgat Lastayev emphasized a number of issues that require coordinated action. 

First. Provision of first aid in case of road accidents in the "golden hour". Along the republican roads there are 40 highway medical-rescue points, which have effectively proved themselves in terms of efficiency of first aid in road accidents. There is a need for further development of highway stations, taking into account the increase in traffic intensity.

Second. It is necessary to take systemic measures against owners of domestic animals for ownerless grazing on the roads. Every day the number of road accidents due to collision with animals is growing. Akimats should more actively carry out explanatory work with the population on the rules of grazing.

Third. Coverage of cellular and Internet communication along the roads, which creates convenience for users and prompt action in case of road accidents. In pilot mode on the reconstructed section of "Kyzylorda-Zhezkazgan" is provided for the device of FOCL.

In confirmation of the words of his colleague, the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Syrym Sharipkhanov spoke about the effectiveness of highway medical and rescue stations. There are 40 of them across the country and each serves the territory within a radius of 50 kilometers from its location. And for 8 months of the current year, 884 visits to road accidents were made by the forces of TMSP, 1,127 citizens were assisted, 881 people were hospitalized. Also TMSP provides medical assistance to the citizens of neighboring settlements. Since the beginning of the year, assistance has been rendered to 660 people who applied, 116 of them were hospitalized. But since 2011, the country's transportation infrastructure has developed significantly, and the flow of vehicles on the roads has increased. And the TMSPs do not cover dangerous sections of roads.

"To ensure the response of the TMSP during the "golden hour", to reduce the death rate, the Ministry of Emergency Situations envisages the phased establishment of four points in Aktobe, Atyrau and Zhambyl regions. In case of complication of the situation on highways and introduction of traffic restrictions due to deteriorating weather conditions, the Ministry of Emergency Situations promptly notifies transport organizations, bus stations and the population using all available means of communication. Last year more than 1.5 thousand times storm warnings were announced, 642 times roads of republican importance and 623 times of regional importance were closed. The exchange of information with the interested duty services is carried out in a round-the-clock mode," the Minister reported.

For example, last winter, rescue units rescued over 2,000 people from snow drifts and evacuated about 2,500 people, and 575 units of equipment were called in. In order to improve the level of readiness of the State system of civil protection and the population to eliminate emergency situations in the conditions of the winter period and to practice practical skills in November, it is planned to hold the RKShU "Kys - 2023". It is also planned to hold a meeting of the Interdepartmental State Commission on Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations, which will consider topical issues of ensuring the safety of citizens in the winter period.

In Turkestan region for 8 months of this year, the number of road accidents increased by 6.6%, deaths by 9.6%, injuries by 8.6%. The main causes of road accidents, the head of the region Darhan Satybaldy called "human" factors, i.e. speeding, driving into oncoming traffic and failure to comply with the requirements of road signs. As well as the condition of roads and their infrastructure.

"In this direction the necessary work on the part of the local executive body is carried out. In particular, the share of roads of regional significance in satisfactory condition at the beginning of 2023 was 92%, by the end of 2025 it is planned to bring it to 95%. This year artificial road barriers were installed in 37 places near social facilities, markings were applied to more than 3 thousand crosswalks. Last year in Turkestan city hardware program complexes were installed at 26 intersections and 43 linear sections, as well as at 40 linear sections of roads of republican and regional importance," the regional akim noted.

Currently, the most dangerous road sections have been identified on the region's roads, the number of video surveillance cameras automatically detecting offenses has been increased from 138 to 203 units. By the end of the year it is planned to install another 63 complexes "Mergen". In addition, "point" preventive measures with the participation of personnel of the Police Department are regularly carried out at these sites. Since the beginning of the year, such events have been held 37 times, and in June the event "Month without road accidents" was held in the region. 

But there are a number of problems. There is a shortage of patrol police officers in the region. The staffing level is 3 times lower than the norm. The additional need is 893 units. In addition, the issue of improving the material and technical base of patrol police officers is relevant.

"There is a shortage of service cars, tablets, video tokens. Another urgent issue for our region is the construction of bypass highways of Shymkent, Turkestan and Saryagash cities. For example, on the highway A-15 "Saryagash-Zhetysai" the design traffic intensity is 3 thousand cars per day, in fact more than 20 thousand cars per day pass along this road. This, in turn, negatively affects the number of road accidents," the Akim said. 

Bypass roads will allow to separate "transit" traffic flows from local ones and reduce the risk of accidents.

#Government session #Infrastructural development #Ministry of Internal Affairs #Transport