This is an extended version of the eight categories of the Basic Human Dignity Needs Holistic Index, with over 600 sub-categories.
Basic Human Dignity Needs include:
HOLISTIC INDEX
LAND USE PLANNING - TRANSPORTATION - Pedestrian Incidents
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From Reuters:
Auto Deaths Hit 12-Year High in 2002
July 17, 2003
By John Crawley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of people killed in sport utility rollover crashes rose 14 percent last year as total highway deaths hit a 12-year high at nearly 43,000, the U.S. government reported on Thursday.
The Transportation Department also reported that car crash injuries fell to an all-time low in 2002. Child and pedestrian deaths also went down as did fatalities involving large trucks.
But in 2002, SUV rollover fatalities jumped to more than 2,400 victims, an increase of 14 percent, the government said. Sixty-one percent of all SUV fatalities involved rollovers.
These grim statistics underscore the challenge facing regulators, who have redoubled efforts to reduce carnage on the nation's roads. Motorists traveled more than 2.8 trillion miles last year.
This summer, highway safety officials launched media and law enforcement initiatives to improve seat belt use and discourage drunk driving.
Alcohol-related fatalities remained unchanged at 41 percent of the total, or 17,419. And nearly 60 percent of the 42,815 people killed in auto crashes last year were not wearing seat belts.
The nation's top auto safety regulator, Jeffrey Runge, has launched a high-profile campaign to make popular sport utility vehicles safer.
For now, Runge is relying on an industry-government effort to reduce SUV rollover and other risks, but has not ruled out regulations to force changes.
There are 22 million SUVs on US roads, or about 10 percent of the total number of vehicles. And government figures show the rate of fatal rollovers for SUVs is almost three times that of cars.
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From Reuters
www.alertnet.org
26 Dec 2002 13:48
Don't drink and walk, South African minister says
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 26 (Reuters) - In South Africa, drinking and driving is not the only lethal combination involving alcohol and roads -- drinking and walking can also be deadly.
"If you drink, do not drive or walk anywhere," Transport Minister Dullah Omar said in a statement on Thursday, amid a mounting festive-season carnage on the perilous roads.
Many of the 839 South Africans killed by Thursday on the roads in the traditionally worst month of December -- the same total as for all December 2001 -- were pedestrians who strolled drunk onto unlit roads at night, officials said.
Hence Omar's unusual appeal against drinking and walking.
The Christmas period -- which coincides with the summer break -- is one of the most deadly as South Africans and foreign tourists flock to villages, beaches and game parks.
South Africa has one of the worst road-safety records in the world, with accidents claiming around 10,000 lives a year.
Poorly maintained and overcrowded mini-bus taxis are involved in many of fatal crashes.
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From: www.news24.com
Dec. 30, 2002
380 Pedestrians Killed
Pretoria - More than 60 of the 380 pedestrians that had died on South African roads since December 1 were children, Transport Minister Dullah Omar said on Tuesday.
"Research has shown that due to physical limitation, children under 12 years cannot judge accurately whether it was the right time to cross the road," he said in statement in Pretoria.
"Parents or guardians should always ensure that an older child or an adult accompany children in traffic situations."
Omar appealed to pedestrians not to walk on the road while drunk.
According to another research conducted in 1999 and 2000, about 60% of pedestrians killed then were intoxicated, he said.
"This proves that drinking and walking is as dangerous as drinking and driving."
Omar said about half the pedestrians who died since December 1 this year were killed at night.
He urged people to wear reflective or bright-coloured clothing when walking during night time. The minister called on motorists to drive slower at night, especially in areas where the highways were near settlements.
The Arrive Alive campaign reported on Monday that 1 016 people had died in 796 crashes so far.
In figures released at noon on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal still had the highest number of people killed at 193, followed by Gauteng at 169 and the Western Cape at 158.
About 112 died on Eastern Cape roads, 103 in Mpumalanga, 91 in the North West and 86 in the Free State.
Limpopo and the Northern Cape recorded 73 and 31 fatalities respectively.
The campaign spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said nearly 50% of the people who had died on the roads since festive season started were between the ages of 17 and 40 years.
"Many fatalities are among the economically active group and this revelation has been passed to Omar."
He called on the private and public companies to set up road safety initiatives for their employees.
"Everyone needs to take responsibility, and companies need to enforce safe driving regulations among employees."
Mabaya said ten major routes that recorded high fatal accidents so far had been identified.
Among them were the Beaufort West-Aberdeen R61 road with the highest crashes at 49, followed by the Venterstad-Meyerton R59 at 44, the Randfontein-Krugersdorp R28 at 36 and the N2 between Durban and Tongaat at 34.
The Democratic Alliance said on Monday Omar was "unconvincing" in trying to deal with increased road deaths.
"The fact that over 1 000 people have lost their lives to date is unacceptable," DA spokesperson Martin Slabbert said.
"Sterner action needs to be taken and unfortunately too much buck-passing is taking place."
Slabbert said if Omar was serious about zero tolerance on road defaulters, he should enforce the impounding of unroadworthy vehicles and the temporary suspension or endorsement of drivers' licenses.
"We cannot keep blaming corrupt vehicle testing and licensing stations. Why don't they arrest these allegedly corrupt officials and charge them?
"If sufficient roadblocks and roadside courts with impoundment yards were set up on the main traffic routes or accident hotspots, much could have been done to eliminate the present carnage," Slabbert said.
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