At a special Knesset Audit Committee session on the problematic - but improving - situation of traffic accidents and fatalities Tuesday morning, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss blamed the plethora of traffic accidents on the lenient punishments meted out to delinquent drivers.



At a separate Knesset committee session at the same time, Transportation Minister Sha'ul Mofaz made a similar point.

"The laws against traffic offenders are good," Lindenstrauss said, "but the punishments are not carried out properly.  Drivers with dozens of offenses return to the roads, and the fines levied by the courts are not in step with the war against traffic accidents."  He said that the number of traffic court judges must be increased significantly.

The sessions were held to commemorate Israel's annual Traffic Safety Day - which is being held just as Israel's traffic casualty numbers are improving.  Since the beginning of the year, 334 Israelis have been killed in road accidents - a significantly lower rate than last year, which was the safest year since 1967.  446 people were killed in 2006, and some 30 more were killed in the year before that.



New Ideas by Mofaz

Minister Mofaz also said that the judicial system was too forgiving to delinquent drivers, "and has not succeeded in deterring dangerous drivers whose cars are like loaded guns on the roads."

Mofaz has some constructive ideas as well.  Starting in the first quarter of 2008, the 100 worst offenders of the quarter will have their driving licenses rescinded.  The same will occur in each succeeding quarter of 2008.  "The goal is to end traffic violations," Mofaz explained.

Mofaz also said he plans to have legislation passed that will force anyone whose license was revoked to re-take their licensing tests - both the road test and the written test. 

Recent Casualties

Just today (Tuesday), a 6-year-old boy in Netivot was hit and killed by a car while trying to cross a street.  A man was mortally wounded near Afula last night, and three other people were seriously injured in yet three other accidents since then.