| dc.description.abstract | A successful development of road transport, as well as of the whole transport system, has a direct influence on the growth of the country's economy. A geopolitical situation of Lithuania creates conditions for a successful integration into the European transport network and transport service market. Therefore, transport sector was recognized by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania as a priority sector the development of which is defined by the National Transport Development Program until 2015 m. With a changing Lithuanian political and economical situation the Lithuanian transport also changed. In recent years, due to expanding economic relations with the European countries, the flows of transit traffic across Lithuania has increased. The number of vehicles is also increasing very fast. (Based on 01-01-2002 data 1 383 724 vehicles were registered in Lithuania.). A particular growth of traffic volume caused the need to pay a bigger attention to traffic safety. Road structure does not meet the increased traffic flows, as earlier, in 1980-1990, when roads and streets the traffic flows of those days were taken into consideration. It was assumed, that in 2005 the number of cars per 1000 of inhabitants will come to 180. Though, after Lithuania gained its independence, the number of cars, especially in the cities has been growing very fast. Based on 01-01-2002 data there were 396 vehicles per 1000 inhabitants, 319 of which were cars. Fast development of the number of vehicles are closely related to not only large benefit for the public but also to the certain undesirable social and economic consequences. Firstly - the large numbers of injured and killed people involved into the accidents. In the Republic of Lithuania during the last 21 years from 1981 to 2001, there were 110 249 car accidents, which resulted in 16 857 deaths and 113 274 injuries. It obviously implies that during the period our annual loss was 800 people, there were 5000 people who suffered severe injuries, which had long-lasting effects and led to serious health problems. During 21 years every 34 th /35 th person of the Lithuanian population was injured in a car accident (assuming the Lithuanian population is 3 600 000). Much more people are faced with the painful consequences of accidents that it is said in the statistics. The number of people, who become handicapped in the cause of accidents, is higher than that of the killed. After the accident, no matter is it a fatality or injury, the consequences of this calamity are significantly higher than material losses. This is about the loss of many years of active life, the ruined human fates.The risk of every accidents, traffic jams and continuous traffic disturbances cause the concern of many drivers and the users of public transport, increase their psychological stress and also the accident rate. Annual accident losses for the country's economy make about 1,3 billion Litas, i.e. about 3 % OF GDP, while the accident losses in the other developed European countries come to only 1-2 % of GDP. The statistical data on the accident circumstances, types and the distribution of killed and injured people relationship shows that there are many factors causing a large accident rate. Nearly every accident occurs due to several causes, which are directly dependent on the structure of traffic safety determinants. Taking into consideration the accident situation in Lithuania, their causes and economic possibilities of our country, the followings priority trends are suggested: improve a financing system of road traffic safety; training and education of road users; explanation of the importance of traffic safety and its propagation; public transport development; traffic control improvement; traffic condition improvement; reducing the number of drunk drivers. | eng |
