A consumer group doubts the newly passed traffic law will help reduce traffic accidents in Jakarta as it still entrusts the police with the dual function of issuing driver’s license and enforcing traffic law.

Sudaryatmo from the Indonesia Consumers’ Foundation (YLKI) said over the weekend the initial traffic bill draft, a revision of the 1992 Traffic and Transportation Law, initially attempted to separate the police’s dual function of driver’s license issuance and traffic law enforcement.

However, the House of Representatives passed the bill Tuesday still conferring the traffic police with this dual function.

“We expected an institutional reform that would create a new body to issue driver’s licences,” he said.

“The problem at the root of traffic accidents has to do with the manner in which driver’s licenses are issued. While law enforcement officers are tasked with taking action on a traffic violation, they are at the same time reluctant to look at whether the driver’s license was issued according to the appropriate procedures.”

In Indonesia, traffic accidents are the number three killer after heart attacks and strokes, with some 30,000 deaths related to traffic accidents each year. In the capital, the death toll from traffic accidents stands at around 1,000 people a year, says the Jakarta Statistics Agency, with most victims aged between 22 to 40 years old.

Articles in the newly passed bill stipulate public bus drivers’ working hours should be limited to eight, with a half an hour break at least after four hours of work. Sudaryatmo said this was not enough to reduce the number of traffic accidents.

Transportation experts and consumer organization did not welcome the newly passed bill.

Darmaningtyas, chairman of the Institute of Transportation Study (Instran) said the bill did not side with public transportation passengers and disabled persons, but mainly accommodated private car users.

“The new traffic law apparently does not offer anything new when it comes to solving transportation problems, because it still privileges motor vehicles over other users,” he said.

“Other countries prioritize pedestrians and non-motorists, followed by public transportation modes and logistical transport, and then private cars. In Indonesia, it is the other way around, public car owners are put on a higher pedestal,” Sudaryatmo said.

Darmaningtyas predicted traffic jams would still be a problem in Jakarta. He noted motorbikes were considered as public transportation, legitimizing ojek (motorcycle taxi).

Critics also said the bill discriminated disabled people, requiring them to wear signs when crossing streets to notify drivers of their physical condition.

Sudaryatmo said the bill stigmatized and disrespected the disabled.

While the bill had many flaws, there were articles that could be deemed as progressive, such as regulation on road funding for maintenance, Sudaryatmo said.

“The government has found it difficult to fund road maintenance until now. Under the new law, road users buying petrol will contribute to road maintenance,” he said.

“This is a lot fairer because the more people drive, the more they have to buy petrol, therefore the more they fund road maintenance.”

Indonesia has about 350,000 kilometers of roads, 35,000 of which are national roads built solely by the central government.

According to the Transportation Ministry, around 65 percent of national roads are heavily damaged.

This year, the central government has allocated Rp 18.7 trillion (US$1.8 billion) for developing, maintaining and reconstructing around 33,000 kilometers of roads and 62,000 meters of bridges.

Popular

Is Indonesia really ready to embrace dual citizenship?

Tens of thousands seek better lives in Jakarta. But is the city losing its draw?

Elon Musk's Starlink granted licences to operate in Indonesia