Today we read a very sad article on a Buenos Aires blog.
It stated, Richard Anderson, a Norwegian, while participating in an exercise for his mime class was hit by a bus and killed.
You will know that we are great fans of Buenos Aires and Argentina. However, we are not fans of the roads nor the dire irresponsibility and recklessness of some drivers.
The accident happened on Santa Fe and it seems that the bus driver was not at fault.
Over the last few weeks we have witnessed buses very nearly run over at least three people and must add that both their speed and driving in some instances is both careless and downright dangerous. We often see them cut up other drivers and in two instances this year we saw drivers mount the pavement to avoid damage to their vehicles – fortunately not at the expense of pedestrians.
In addition, it is time that pedestrians were given the right of way at both lights and crossings, and the police who seem to watch poor drivers with impunity, penalized impatient and dangerous drivers more often.
In a busy city, selling hard to the world’s tourists it is about time Argentina did something about their appalling road safety.
Traffic laws are not routinely obeyed and vehicles often travel at excessive speeds. A recently published report in www.popularonline.com.ar states that there was a 1.25 percent increase in the year 2008 relating to traffic deaths throughout the country – 8,205 people died in vehicle accidents during the year as opposed to 8,104 deaths in 2007. In the city of Buenos Aires, the number of fatalities increased by 9.4 percent during 2008, despite government efforts to strengthen road safety awareness.
The American Embassy states:
SAFETY AND SECURITY: Traffic accidents are the primary threat to life and limb in Argentina. Pedestrians and drivers should exercise caution. Drivers frequently ignore traffic laws and vehicles often travel at excessive speeds. The rate and toll of traffic accidents has been a topic of much media attention over the past year. The Institute of Road Safety and Education, a private Buenos Aires organization dedicated to transportation safety issues, reports that Argentina has the highest traffic mortality rate in South America per 100,000 inhabitants. Traffic accidents are still the primary threat to life and limb in Argentina, especially in Buenos Aires. Pedestrians should be vigilant when crossing streets and remember to look in both directions, even if the street is designated one way.
The main thrust of this moan is to tell visitors to Buenos Aires to remember their GREEN CROSS CODE! STOP! Look right, look left and only cross when sure there are no cars that might cause you danger – sounds like the advice one gives children ah? Last year we dealt with one case of concussion and a broken foot due to road accidents and we would like our clients to be safe.
Please take note of GREEN CROSS MAN!!!!!
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