Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In 2023, 95 people, including 10 children, died as a result of road accidents in Tashkent. This was stated by Tashkent Prosecutor Erkin Yuldashev in his address to residents of the capital.

According to him, 1,248 people, including 235 children, were injured as a result of road accidents. Of these, 10 received lifelong disability. During the year, 4,384 cases of driving while intoxicated were detected. Drunk drivers committed 26 serious accidents in which people died, the city prosecutor said.

The prosecutor noted that the main causes of road accidents were violation of the established speed limit, ignoring traffic lights, failure to maintain a safe distance, failure to allow pedestrians to pass, violation of overtaking rules, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, as well as allowing minors to drive. “Each case has its own reasons. This is not just an accident,” the prosecutor emphasized.

Over the past year, 1,417 people were identified who did not have a driver’s license at the time of driving.

The prosecutor noted that there are several problems in Tashkent due to the growing number of vehicles and poor infrastructure. The khokimiyat and the prosecutor’s office of Tashkent, in cooperation with other organizations, are working to eliminate these problems, he added.

Erkin Yuldashev stated that a mathematical macromodel has been created to improve traffic. Implementation of solutions will require time and additional effort, he noted.

The Tashkent prosecutor noted that the capital is taking several urgent measures to improve the situation on the roads.

“We don’t learn the right lessons from tragedies. We don’t plan ahead. We are in a hurry to get there in 15 minutes, where the journey usually takes 30. We do not understand the meaning of the word “patience”. We give pep talks when our kids leave the house, but we can’t take 30 seconds to say, "Please be careful on the road." Why is this so difficult? Why doesn’t this become our habit?” - the prosecutor asked a question. He emphasized the importance of teaching safe behavior skills both in the family and in educational institutions.

“The culture of people’s behavior leaves much to be desired,” the prosecutor continued. Conflicts often arise between drivers, leading to fights and even the use of weapons. Over the past year, 33 criminal cases were initiated in connection with conflicts on the roads that led to physical harm.

The prosecutor emphasized that some drivers allow themselves to insult traffic police officers and even use violence against them, recording what is happening on their phones. “Such an attitude towards traffic police officers is not only disrespectful, but also a threat to public safety,” the prosecutor noted.

The head of the Tashkent prosecutor’s office also focused on drivers’ dissatisfaction with the increase in the number of cameras and photo radars in Tashkent. He noted that cameras and photo radars are installed to deter drivers and ensure public order. In his opinion, without these devices the number of serious accidents would be even higher.

“If completely stopping traffic accidents in the city required installing more cameras and radars, we would do it. We are ready for this. However, it is impossible to completely avoid an accident in this way,” the prosecutor admitted.

At the same time, he stressed that the authorities take seriously the issue of monitoring the operation of cameras and radars in accordance with the requirements of the law.