Number of accidents increase: speed cameras don’t help
In the first half of 2017, 6069 emergency incidents have been registered in Armenia. The number of the emergency incidents has increased by 867 compared with the first half of last year, it means by about 16.7 percent, said Hovhannes Khangeldyan, Head of the National Center of Crisis Management. The majority of the incidents are RTAs, then fires and poisoning. As a result of emergency incidents 149 people died and 4866 people were affected. Compared with last year the number of victims has increased by 10 and the number of the affected by 747; 131 people have been saved, which is more by 28 than last year’s index. The number of the RTAs has increased by 109 in this half, but the number of victims has decreased by 6. In reply to the question why after the installation of speed cameras in streets and highways, the number of RTAs has increased, Mr Khangeldyan answered, “Those cameras only record the violations, but do not prevent them. 100 meters from the place, where the camera is installed, the number has decreased, but not in the whole street. After passing the camera, drivers again speed up,” he said.
