The State Loss IDR 246 Billion Due To Traffic Accidents During 2020-2021

Illustration of a bus bound for Surabaya-Yogyakarta overturned in Madiun Regency, East Java, Friday (11/23/2018). (Between)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) revealed that during the period 2020-2021 traffic accidents caused the state to lose IDR 246 billion.

Based on data from the Korlantas Polri, there was an increase in the number of accidents during 2020-2021 reaching 103,645 cases. Even during this period, the pandemic is ongoing and the number of accidents is decreasing.

"Accidents killed up to 25.266 people with material losses reaching IDR 246 billion," said Secretary of the Directorate General of Land Transportation at the Ministry of Transportation Marta Hardisarwono in the FGD: Session of Road Transportation Safety Experts monitored in Jakarta, Wednesday.

The losses also included the handling of 117.913 people with minor injuries and 10.553 people with serious injuries.

The highest traffic accidents occurred in motorcycles as much as 73 percent, followed by freight transport (12 percent), people transport (8 percent), passenger cars (3 percent), and non-motorized vehicles (2 percent).

Marta admits that the transportation of goods by road, which still dominates up to 90 percent, is also one of the causes of the high number of accidents.

In addition, it also causes other problems such as congestion, ODOL (Over Dimension Over Loading), infrastructure damage, and air pollution.

"However, what is currently the focus of attention is ODOL because it also has an impact on other problems," he said.

Marta revealed that the Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation is currently focusing on dealing with the ODOL problem.

A number of strategies have been implemented, among others, normalizing motorized vehicles, requiring the use of Electronic Pass Test Certificates (BLU-e) for motorized vehicles, as well as encouraging the implementation of a safety management system for public transport companies.

The government also socializes and collects data on companies or transportation vehicles that enter or are suspected of being ODOL, and build safety partnerships.

"Actually, we have carried out the ODOL handling process since 2017, but these five points are our focus at this time," he concluded.