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Insurers attribute this jump in the number of accidents to the increasing mobility of the population, which becomes more active as the coronavirus situation improves. According to experts, the growing accident in the country is also a consequence of the pandemic, as drivers during the quarantine moved away from heavy traffic and forgot about driving skills.
Raimondas Bieliauskas, Head of the Vehicle Accident Management Division of the Ergo insurance company, warns that the leading car accidents in vehicle accident statistics significantly outperform other insured events. Its insurers have already registered more than 4.6 thousand in total this year.
“The average compensation for these insured events amounts to more than 1.1 thousand. During 2021, we disbursed an amount greater than 3.6 million euros. euros. These statistics are really worrying. The number of accidents on the country’s roads is increasing again, although during the first wave of the pandemic, in March-May 2020, the number of accidents in Lithuania decreased significantly. Last year, with the announcement of the quarantine, the number of cars in traffic decreased and there were no more traffic jams in the cities. Additionally, most residents worked from home and fewer commuted to work. All these reasons also led to a better accident situation ”, emphasizes R. Bieliauskas.
Speaking about the situation in different Lithuanian cities, the representative of the insurer says that during the first quarantine, the accident statistics in Vilnius and its district seemed quite positive. According to R. Bieliauskas, at that time there were decreasing accident rates.
“In March 2019, there were almost 9 accidents involving 100 cars in Vilnius city and district. During the same period last year, we recorded a third less of these events. However, the second quarantine in this region with an accident resembled a pre-pandemic level. In March of this year, the number of accidents was 10 percent. it already exceeds the 2019 figures. Consequently, the restrictions in the second quarantine had a negative impact on the accident. Municipalities were closed, work was done remotely, so, unable to move more frequently, drivers apparently got used to the more difficult traffic conditions and did not develop skills. The risk of accidents has also increased ”, says the insurance expert.
Mobility has increased significantly
After mentioning the accident in the large cities of the country, R. Bieliauskas also reviews the situation in the city and district of Kaunas. According to the representative of the insurer, in March 2019 there were 8 accidents for every 100 cars, in the same period in 2020 – 7. And in April 2020, the accident in the city and district of Kaunas, comparing previous accidents and 2019. the data was cut in half.
“In March 2019-2021, the number of accidents is similar. Therefore, we did not register a major jump by accident. In turn, in the city and district of Klaipeda, in March this year, they occurred up to 40 percent of accidents. more than last year. In general, in terms of accidents in Lithuania, since February 2020, everything has returned to its old way and the situation is even worse than before the year of the pandemic “, no consuela R. Bieliauskas.
This, according to the insurer’s representative, should come as no surprise, as car traffic in the country has increased by as much as 65 percent since January last year, according to Apple mobility data.
“In terms of the sex of the drivers involved in accidents, the accident rates for men and women are similar. In March 2020, this figure decreased compared to the same period last year, but this year it also exceeded the 2019 statistics”, assures the interlocutor.
Less accidents, more deaths
The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the accident not only in Lithuania, but also in other countries. However, according to R. Bieliauskas, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) show a paradoxical traffic situation. According to the WHO, there have been fewer traffic accidents, only more lives have been claimed.
“The reason for this is the lower intensity of traffic and the number of cars. When driving on empty roads, drivers did so at higher speeds, and statistics show that every kilometer per hour increases the probability of a fatal accident by a 4-5 percent. As a result, the number of fatalities on the roads has increased. This is what happened in the US, where the number of fatal accidents increased 4.6 percent in the first nine months of 2020. The same happened in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic ”, says R. Bieliauskas.
Still, he adds: frequent traffic accidents are not just a consequence of a pandemic. According to R. Bieliauskas, accidents happen constantly and for various reasons. However, in the opinion of the representative of the insurer, the risk of accidents can be reduced.
“Road discipline, compliance with safety regulations and the importance of driving skills are constantly debated. However, even disciplined and experienced drivers can find themselves in unpleasant and unplanned situations. They often occur not even through personal fault. . Therefore, it is really worth taking care of motor hull insurance. It is a solution designed for those who seek to reduce potential losses. In this way, trips will be calm, safe and worry-free “, says R. Bieliauskas.
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