Car-Pedestrian Accidents Up 35 Percent in Tallinn; Most Dangerous Crossings Identified
Police say accidents involving pedestrians in Tallinn in the first half of 2014 are up 35 percent compared the same period last year, although there have been fewer fatalities.
North Prefecture traffic enforcement center chief Elari Kasemets said "[The 35 percent] is quite a lot even though we have invested more into ensuring pedestrian safety compared to last year."
The police are in the process of compiling a longer analysis that will determine how the culpability for the incidents is distributed. In recent days, police enforcement actions have targeted jaywalkers, with fines of 10-40 euros meted out at one dangerous downtown crossing, by the Hobujaama tram stop.
But Kasemets also told Postimees that efforts are also being made to reduce average driving speed, as the pedestrian fatality rate when a car going 70 kph is 70 percent, and only 30 percent when the car is going 50 kph.
Postimees reported this week on the case of a celebrity, painter Jüri Arrak, 77, who had a foot severely mangled several weeks ago after being run over in front of Tallinn University, on Narva maantee.
That zebra crossing is considered the most dangerous crossing in Tallinn, with five accidents in a three-year period, including one death. The others include Ahtri tänav (between the port and city center) and the crossing in front of Kristiine Keskus mall, Laikmaa tänav by Tallink hotel, and the previously mentioned Hobujaama stop near Viru Keskus on Narva maantee.