"Don't be invisible on the road!"

In January-February 2018, 223 road traffic accidents involving pedestrians occurred on the territory of the republic, resulting in 48 fatalities and 180 injuries.

Overall across the republic, the number of road traffic accidents due to pedestrian fault increased from 70 to 101, fatalities from 19 to 37, and injuries from 51 to 65. During the first two months of the current year, 44 out of 48 pedestrians killed in road traffic accidents sustained fatal injuries in the dark.

The most common causes of road traffic accidents due to pedestrian fault include: crossing the road outside of a designated pedestrian crossing, being on the roadway while intoxicated, and failure to comply with traffic regulations regarding the mandatory use of reflective elements in the dark.

For instance, on March 13, 2018, at approximately 05:10, a resident of Minsk, born in 1989, driving a Fiat car on the 156th kilometre of the Minsk-Vitebsk highway in Lepel, hit a woman born in 1965, a resident of the village of Barsuki, Lepel district. She died at the scene from her injuries.

To prevent road traffic accidents involving pedestrians and to promote the use of reflective elements and high-visibility vests in the dark, a nationwide preventive campaign "Don't Be Invisible on the Road!" is being held from March 27 to April 2, 2018.

The State Automobile Inspectorate reminds that, according to the Traffic Regulations, pedestrians must walk on pavements or pedestrian paths, and only in their absence, along the edge of the roadway, but always facing oncoming traffic. This will allow them to see approaching vehicles and react to danger in a timely manner. Pedestrians are obliged to cross the roadway only at pedestrian crossings, ensuring that vehicles have completely stopped and are yielding to them. When walking in the dark, pedestrians must be visible by using reflective elements.

It is worth reminding that pedestrians who ignore the requirements of the Road Traffic Regulations are subject to administrative liability in the form of a warning or a fine ranging from 1 to 3 basic units. For pedestrians violating the Road Traffic Regulations while in a state of intoxication, as well as those refusing to undergo examination in the prescribed manner for determining the state of alcoholic intoxication or a state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other stupefying substances, an administrative penalty is applied in the form of a fine ranging from 3 to 5 basic units.

Dear citizens, do not ignore instances of persons on the roadway in a state of alcoholic intoxication, as well as those not marked with retroreflective elements. If you witness an irreparable situation, stop this person, do not give them a chance to take their own life. Such facts can be reported to the Duty Officer Service of the Department of Internal Affairs of the District Executive Committee by calling 102; the call can be anonymous.