TEHRAN - During the Norouz (New Year) holidays, which lasted more than two weeks, about 100,000 car accidents or crashes were recorded across Iran.

Unfortunately, the accidents left more than 813 fatalities and about 21,000 injuries.

According to police, these 813 people are those who were killed at the scene of the accidents. The Forensic Medicine is going to announce the final death fatalities.
 
813 deaths simply mean that many families and relatives begin their new year with grief and sorrow.

New Year holidays are primarily intended for sightseeing, visiting family members or friends, and enjoying and celebrating the new year with the onset of the spring, but careless drivers turn these festivities into tragedies for a considerable number of families. 

Certain victims have no role in such mishaps. They just fall victim to the carelessness of others. Sometimes, some of these persons who cause car accidents go unscathed by continuing their journey. 

A number of the injured suffer life-long disabilities. What is indisputable is that a considerable number of 21,000 injured people should wrestle with chronic problems throughout their lives.  

The lack of strict rules and regulations to discipline careless drivers is mainly to blame for such road rages. Sadly enough, the rules intended to discipline drivers are lax. The fines considered for reckless drivers are not preventative.

Countries that have lowered road rages have introduced severe penalties against reckless drivers. They fine them heavily, repeal their driving licenses, ban them from driving for some time, or ban them from driving at all (depending on the degree of violating traffic laws), and other punitive measures. 

Yet, in Iran careless driving is not considered a highly dangerous behavior otherwise there were not so many deadly car accidents and crashes.

Human error is the main cause of car crashes in the world. Traffic police have cited high speed, sudden turns or abrupt change of lines, tailgating, inattention to traffic laws or signs, drowsiness, and fatigue as the causes of car accidents during Norouz holidays.

Non-adherence to lane driving, overtaking in a wrong manner, ignoring speed limits and drowsiness are the main causes of car crashes in Iran in all seasons, inside cities and on roads. It is not unusual for some drivers to change lanes suddenly, speed well over the limit, not use seat belts, and act aggressively. 

Smart technologies have made it very easy to identify the uncaring driver and punish him or her.

Just advising holidaymakers to observe driving rules does not produce good results. At least in the Norouz time, the police should set a limit for speed. 

A few years ago, during the Norouz holidays, the traffic police announced that anybody who drove aggressively in his or her car would be stopped and kept by police until the end of the holidays. However, instead of adding to such deterrent measures, police have abandoned this penalty. 

Fewer road fatalities are an indication of a country’s progress. The government and not just the police should put education and awareness about road safety as a priority.

We should wait to see whether the related bodies would set strict traffic rules and fully enforce them to lower road casualties across the country or this trend will go on and on. 

A serious reassessment of traffic laws is needed as the lives of citizens stand above everything.