Editorial: Why? Let’s look within

Photo: Eva Kübar

Saturday morning sunshine, central Tallinn. Slowly and serenely, townsfolk start strolling about. The coffee shops open their welcoming doors, and all is quiet... till the bang. The shock, the blood, the tears, and the ambulances screaming their way towards what just happened. Not limited to the people in both cars involved, a traffic island was rudely invaded as one of the vehicles was flung in its midst. 14 injured, all told.

Why, asks the public. Why the deadly danger in everyday traffic. From the accident scene, the police provide initial overview. Within minutes the media gets clogged up with hundreds of emotional comments, cursing the culprit, demonising a car brand and all its owners. By now, we know the driver was drunk, and in clear violation of prescribed upper speed. The investigation is on, and eyewitnesses are sought.

Of course, the guilty must be found out. Of course, the public needs to be informed as specifically as at all possible. This, however, should be only the beginning. More importantly: what do we do to not have to worry as law-abiding road users.

It’s the attitudes, mainly. But how to alter these? Teaching the kids, prevention, surveillance, traffic management – plus all kinds of economic and social factors affecting the streets.  All that is important. But are we able to analyse the incidents enough to amend the laws where needed, invest into prevention where needed etc?

In the Nordics, for years they have performed deep research regarding the serious accidents. The teams involved are composed of experts of various fields, from law and order to city planners to psychologists. In Estonia, this is in baby shoes yet, but perhaps it’s worth the effort and the money?

On Friday, also in central Tallinn, a lady aged 73 perished. This year, she was the death No 29 on Estonian roads. Should we aim for Swedish level per capita, this would be the yearly limit fulfilled. But for five years we are stuck at 80–100 dead in traffic, and 2015 looks no better. Time to look within.