Algeria: “Speedometers” to be installed on all vehicles to curb rising road accidents

The Algerian transport ministerial department is putting the finishing touches to an overall plan whereby all vehicles in Algeria will be forcibly equipped with a speedometer aimed at controlling the required speed-limit allowed on the roads across the national territory.

The move is aimed at curbing the ever-increasing road accidents causing thousands of deaths and injured mainly due to human recklessness and negligence behind the wheel.

Well-informed sources told Echorouk that this binding legal measure pertaining to the setting up of speedometers on board light and heavy vehicles by their owners would be implemented as early as January 2014.

All vehicles on the road whether old or new including lorries and coaches, will be concerned by this measure and any recalcitrant offenders would face tough legal sanctions, according to the same sources.

According to a recent statistical survey worked out by the Transport Ministry in conjunction with the National Police services and those of the National Gendarmerie, the manifold road accidents in Algeria which cause over 4.000 deaths each year were essentially due to the drivers’ infringement of the highway code with on prime focus over-speeding and perilous overtaking.