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Israel has been ranked as the worst country for road safety after failing to reduce annual road fatalities over the last ten years, according to a report by the European Transport Safety Council.
It comes after a series of horrific road accidents across Israel, including the deaths of 18 people in fatal traffic accidents last week.
According to the report, European countries on average were successfully able to reduce traffic deaths by 31 per cent between 2011 and 2021.
Norway and Lithuania, who brought down traffic fatalities by over 50 per cent during that period, ranked the highest on the list.
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In the past year, 365 Israelis were killed in road accidents, averaging one fatality a day, reported Ynet News.
The Traffic Department of the Israel Police has come under fire over soaring road fatalities, with critics arguing the department is underfunded and ill-equipped to properly deal with the matter.
In response to the high number of fatalities last week, President Isaac Herzog on Saturday wrote in a tweet: "18 worlds destroyed for their loved ones within one week."
18 ישראליות וישראלים יקרים איבדו השבוע את חייהם בתאונות דרכים. 18 עולמות שנחרבו לאהוביהם בשבוע אחד. זה מזעזע. המלחמה בתאונות הדרכים היא מלחמה על החיים של כולנו. אני פונה לכולם – היו זהירים בנהיגה, ברכיבה ובהליכה בכל כביש וצומת. שימרו על עצמכם, על יקיריכם ועלינו!
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) August 13, 2022
"It's appalling. The war against traffic accidents is a war for the lives of us all," he added, urging citizens to take extra care "while driving, riding and walking in any road and intersection."
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