Rabat- According to the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN), 19 people were killed and 2,269 others were injured in traffic accidents across Morocco between October 18 and 24.
The most cited factors for these accidents include driver inattention, failure to follow traffic signals, excessive speeds, and pedestrian inattention.
Other violations include failing to comply with the safety distance, changing directions without authorization, failing to employ a signal, parking outside the designated lane, failing to respect stop signs, overtaking unsafely, and driving under the influence of alcohol, the DGSN said in a press release.
The statement noted that 37,163 traffic tickets were issued, 6,475 reports were submitted to authorities, and 30,668 fines were collected for transactions related to traffic offenses during the same week.
According to the statement, the fines collected amounted to MAD 6,487,075 ($714,789), and municipal authorities impounded 3,971 vehicles, seized 6,475 documents, and withdrew 184 vehicles from circulation.
In May of this year, Morocco’s Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics, and Water, Abdelkader Amara, announced that the North African country allocates an annual budget of MAD 3 billion ($330 million) for the maintenance of the national roads network. The figure represents 46% of the total budget allocated for roads in general.
Due to the massive amount that has been set aside for road maintenance, Amara said that not maintaining the country’s road infrastructure would be a great loss to the national budget.
The minister estimated that the regular maintenance of the Moroccan national road network cost the Moroccan government MAD 250 million ($28 million).
In addition to highlighting Morocco’s increased investments in road construction projects, Amara also expressed his ministry’s desire to consolidate its road maintenance achievements.
“The extension, construction, and rehabilitation works of the road network to meet the growing needs of road traffic cost nearly 54% of the budget the ministry allocates annually to roads,” he said.
“There are certain problems which hamper the work of the ministry at this level, in particular those related to the novelties obliging the ministry to make changes in programming and financing, like the Tiznit-Dakhla expressway.”
Meanwhile, Amara emphasized the efforts of both his ministry and local authorities to improve the quality of roads across the country.
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