West Sumatra Police Record Eight Victims Killed In Traffic Accidents In The Last Week

Head of Public Relations of the West Sumatra Police, Kombes Satake Bayu. (Antara/West Sumatra Police)

JAKARTA - The West Sumatra Regional Police (Polda) recorded eight people died due to traffic accidents in this province for one week, namely on D-4 to D+ 3 of Lebaran 2022. Head of Public Relations of the West Sumatra Police Kombes Pol Satake Bayu in Padang, Thursday, said The death toll for a week in 2022 increased compared to last year's three.

"The number of traffic accidents this year has increased from 44 incidents in 2021 to 69 incidents in 2022," he told Antara.

Meanwhile, five people were seriously injured and this number decreased compared to 2021 as many as six people. Then for minor injuries this year as many as 129 people and an increase compared to 2021 as many as 61 people.

Material losses due to traffic accidents this year for a week reached IDR 255,600,000 and this number increased compared to 2021 in the same period of IDR 43,850,000.

To prevent and anticipate traffic accidents for a week, the Directorate of Traffic (Ditlantas) of the West Sumatra Police has reprimanded 2,544 motorists. This number increased from the previous year which was only 866 riders in the same period.

Furthermore, officers issued evidence of violations (tickets) to 187 motorists, which decreased compared to last year in the same period as many as 244 tickets.

He said warnings and fines were given so that motorists were more careful and paid attention to the safety of themselves and the passengers they carried during the Eid 1443 Hijri holiday.

"We urge motorists to be orderly in traffic, be patient with existing conditions, and not commit violations. If a violation occurs, it will be followed by a traffic accident that can endanger the lives of drivers and other residents who are crossing the lane," he said.

According to him, there was a surge in vehicles entering West Sumatra during the Eid al-Fitr 1443 Hijri homecoming after the ban on going home in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.