From 2020 to 2023 years, 4,364 road accidents occurred in Tajikistan, resulting in 1,692 deaths and 4,776 injuries. This was reported by the Directorate of the State Automobile Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.
According to the World Health Organization's report on road safety, published in 2023, about 1.3 million people die every year as a result of road accidents in the world, and another 50 million are injured in various ways. This statistic is one person every 24 seconds and more than three thousand people a day.
According to the correspondent-journalist of the propaganda department of the State Automobile Inspection Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, militias Lieutenant Colonel Gayratali Saidzoda, the causes of most road accidents are known to everyone and can only be prevented together.
"Speeding on the road, driving drunk, not wearing a seat belt, talking on the phone while driving, not paying attention to road users - these are some of the reasons why we can prevent accidents and ensure the safety of our lives and the lives of others. In this direction, we need to not rely solely on theoretical knowledge, but strive to solve this problem in practice," - he said.
According to him, in the first quarter of 2024, 232 road accidents occurred in the country, which is 4 more than in the same period last year, as a result of which 100 people died (91 people in the same period of 2023), 249 (241) received various injuries and were hospitalized.

20% of victims become disabled as a result of road accidents
It should be noted that road traffic accidents cause enormous social, material and demographic damage to the country's economy and society as a whole. One third of those killed in road accidents are people of the most active working age (26-40 years old). About 20% of the victims become disabled as a result of road accidents. According to experts, the damage from road accidents on motorways is greater than from all other accidents (airplanes, ships, trains, etc.).
Gairatali Saidzoda stressed that the majority of road accidents involved pedestrians and cyclists, and half of those killed in road accidents were pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists.
"Now, if there is an explosion, fire or flood somewhere, people will look with surprise and make a noise, but in the case of traffic accidents, they will not take it very seriously. This is also due to the fact that as a result of accidents, people get seriously injured and in some cases die, which is worrying," said Gayratali Saidzoda.
It should be noted that the statistics of deaths in road accidents in developing countries are three times higher than in developed countries. The highest mortality rate in Africa is 26.6 cases per 100,000 people, and the lowest in Europe is 9.3 cases per 100,000 people.

There are 666,074 registered vehicles in Tajikistan
According to experts, the increase in the number of cars in the country also leads to congestion and accidents. In recent years, the number of cars in Tajikistan has increased significantly. According to the Department of the State Automobile Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country, as of March 1, 2024, 666,074 vehicles - cars, trucks, and passengers - were officially registered in the republic. A year earlier, this statistic was equal to 601,136 units.
Currently, 562 thousand passenger cars are registered in the republic and this is despite the fact that in 1991 only 216 thousand private passenger vehicless were registered in Tajikistan.
According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, about 70% of the world's population will live in cities, which will double the demand for public transport.
"The majority of road accidents in the country occur on highways in the territory of the city of Dushanbe to the center of Khatlon District, on the “Dushanbe-Chanok” highway, in the city of Dushanbe, districts of central subordination and in the direction of Rasht region. Drivers exceed the speed limit on roads outside populated areas, participate in races, then, unable to control transport, turn off the road at turns. This leads to overturning of vehicles and collisions with each other, which in most cases leads to the death of people," - added Gayratali Saidzoda.
It should be noted that the upbringing and observance of traffic rules comes from families. And each of us is obliged to play a role in this direction in order to improve the culture of the municipality. After all, a healthy future is the key to the progress of society and the state.
After all, if today every driver and pedestrian took the Rules of the road seriously, they would not have been involved in traffic accidents and would not have caused harm to road users. Drivers and pedestrians should always try to comply with the requirements of the Traffic Rules so as not to endanger their lives and the lives of other people.
Reprinted from the weekly "Law and Society".