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LAST YEAR 468 DRIVERS BECAME VICTIMS OF THE ROADS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Drivers continue to pay the price for the catastrophic state of the roads in the Czech Republic. The road accident statistics published every year by the Czech Police show that last year a total of 468 accidents demonstrably caused by the poor state of the roads were investigated. This is the sixth most common cause of accidents on our roads. In reality, however, potholes are responsible for a much greater number of accidents, yet the blame is often put on drivers for not driving according to the condition of the road.
6.3.2008DIRECT POJIŠŤOVNA
The Traffic Police Directorate of the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic states that last year a total of 12 people, 1 seriously and 11 lightly, were injured on our roads as a result of the bad state of the road surface. The total material damage as a result of accidents caused by the bad condition of the road surface was CZK 10.52 million. Drivers in Prague most often have to battle with the state of roads, whilst those in South Bohemia the least (see the graph below).
Source: Traffic Police Directorate of the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic
Note: Regions identified according to judicial and police division
For drivers who only have Motor Third Party Liability policies, one of the few effective forms of protection is Insurance against Bad Road Surfaces offered by DIRECT Pojišťovna. All its clients receive this product as a bonus on their Motor Third Party Liability.
“Czech cars are on average 14 years old and so it is simply not worth it for everybody to arrange CASCO for their cars. However, everybody comes up against the problem of the poor quality of Czech roads, and this is why clients receive from us, as a bonus on their Motor Third Party Liability, insurance against damage to their vehicle as a consequence of the bad state of the road surface. We are the only company offering this product in the Czech Republic,” says Zdenka Pelikánová, CEO of DIRECT Pojišťovna.
The Czech Republic is not alone in being affected by the worsening state of its roads. For example, the annual report of the Asphalt Industry Alliance stated that in Great Britain the number of visual defects on roads (cracks, holes and potholes) has risen by 62% over the last 10 years. This problem is becoming an issue to a greater and greater extent not only for London (where they repaired 258,000 potholes in 2006) but also for other parts of England (another 589,000 potholes). It costs on average GBP 56 to repair a single pothole in England. The local authorities estimate that they would need over 11 years to repair all the existing potholes and holes in roads in London alone. The overall budget deficit in England for road maintenance is estimated at the astronomical figure of over GBP 950 million.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance also pointed out that the level of compensation sought by motorists from local authorities and institutions responsible for road maintenance is also dramatically rising. The number of cases in which people seek compensation in England has risen by 42% in the past 10 years and by 78% in London itself. In 2006 the English local authorities and institutions responsible for road maintenance had to pay out GBP 45.7 million in compensation to drivers. In addition, the relevant clerks spent over 40,400 working days settling all the compensation applications.
On average the most important roads in London receive a complete surface treatment once every 16 years, and this falls to only once every 35 years for the most important roads in other parts of England. For all roads irrespective of category, general repairs are carried out every 34 years (London) or 74 years (England outside London).
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