Road Safety and its Effect on the Accident Rate in Santiago De Cali (2005 To March 2023)

Abstract

Dainer Orlando Cruz Chate

Objective: Examines the impact between road prevention and accidents (According to article 2 of the National Traffic Code Law 769 of 2002, a traffic accident is defined as: a generally involuntary event, generated by at least one moving vehicle, which causes damage to people and property involved in it and also affects the normal circulation of vehicles that move along the road or roads included in the place or within the area of influence of the event) in Cali, specifically, analyzing the influence of sanc- tions for violations of traffic regulations on the occurrence of road accidents with victims.

Methods The effects produced by the sanctions for infractions to traffic regulations in drivers, men and women, taking into account their ages, on their road accident rate where they were victims when driving on the roads of Santiago de Cali were analyzed. The effect generated by lifeguard cameras (SAST - Automatic, semi-automatic systems and other technological means for the detection of infringements, regulated by Law 1843 of July 14, 2017) on road accidents was also analyzed.

Results The number of summonses imputed to the driver affects the number of accidents with an approximate increase of 2.07%. Young drivers increase their risk of being a victim of a road accident by 470.68%, while older drivers reduce their risk by almost 100%. Male drivers are 0.9% more likely to be victims of road accidents than women. Drivers penalized through life- guard cameras represent an effect towards the decrease of 1.07% of being involved as a victim of a road accident.

Conclusions The road prevention actions carried out by the Special District of Santiago de Cali, through the imposition of subpoenas for violation of traffic signals are related to the number of road accidents in which drivers are implicated as victims, especially those sanctions originating from life-saving cameras (SAST mechanisms). Such a relationship has been generating a positive impact in the reduction of road events, as well as in the risks of drivers being injured or killed when avoiding good conduct. Drivers between the ages of 20 and 45 are the most prone to road risks with injury or death and, furthermore, more than half of them were involved in road accidents without having registered any preventive sanction.

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