HALF OF YOUNG DRIVERS ARE ACCIDENT PRONE

Staff reporter AROUND 52 percent of drivers in the Balearics under the age of 25, have had an accident within the last year. The Royal Automobile Club of Catalonia (RACC) has confirmed that during 2002, 2'807 accidents with resulting injuries were recorded in the Islands. Of these, 1'416 occurred in built-up areas, claiming the lives of 30 people. With the aim of reducing the accident rate, the mayor of Palma, Catalina Cirer, and the president of the RACC, Sebastiá Salvadó, signed a collaboration agreement yesterday to promote public awareness and provide further training for road users who have broken rules and regulations. The accord includes the launching of “Palmastop”, a programme which allows those who repeatedly infringe the law, and those who have already been convicted for dangerous driving, to undergo training sessions on how to use the roadways safely. The campaign aims to encourage traffic law breakers to understand the need to drive carefully and to respect a common form of behaviour on the roads. The agreement will make provision for the Palma Police School to implement this programme with the supervision of the Automobile Association. The scheme is designed for those repeated law breakers who accumulate fines in excess of 600 euros or who have been convicted in a court of law for crimes such as “driving under the influence of alcohol, or dangerous driving”, signalled local police chief, Joan Feliu. He reported that currently, some 3'000 of Palma's citizens find themselves in this position. “The idea is” explained the mayor of Palma, “that those who are responsible for breaking highway law should take responsibility for what they have done. “In this way, through schooling public conscience, we hope to reduce the number of traffic accidents”. Participants in the scheme, through a full attendance at these classes, which includes 50 hours of lectures, and by not reoffending on the roads, can apply to have their fines reduced. Local police will keep “tabs” on those who have attended the “Palmastop” rehabilitation scheme to check road behaviour during the course of one year following completion of the course. Convicted offenders may have part of their sentence replaced by community service, such as being voluntary helpers at emergency units in hospitals or as assistants to the municipal police force in their work with children.