Comment: The ‘disaster’ of holiday travel
The Jakarta Post | Readers Forum | Thu, September 06 2012, 12:20 PM
Paper Edition | Page: 8
Sept. 2, p. 4
The latest data from the National Traffic Management Center (NTMC) within the National Police shows that the number of deaths during Idul Fitri holiday travel, or mudik (going home), one week before and one week after the Islamic holiday, has surpassed the 900 mark.
On average, 56 people died every day on the roads. This number may indeed rival or perhaps eclipse the magnitude of a natural disaster. Volcano eruptions in Yogyakarta and East Java in 2010 killed 250 people, while earthquakes in West Sumatra in 2009 claimed 1,100 lives. (By Budi Harsanto, Bandung)
Your comments:
Basically, the author of the article is correct. Most issues mentioned by the author can be grouped under the words: Irresponsibility and selfish lack of social behavior.
Of course, the law enforcement issue and government responsibilities are continuous factors which will not change in the near future. Looking on the bright side; it is a tiny contribution to population control.
Jorith Arbier
