Source: Zaragoza suffers the seventh fatal accident of the year, the worst of the…
Found on: 2022-09-29 03:00:00
The death of the 59-year-old man who this Tuesday was run over by a garbage truck in the Casablanca neighborhood of Zaragoza has triggered the alarms, because in the absence of a whole quarter to finish 2022 the annual balance of deaths in traffic accidents in the Aragonese capital is already the worst in the last decade. So far this year seven people have left their lives on the asphalt, the youngest was 18 years old and the oldest 90. According to the statistics handled by the Local Police, since the eight deaths that were recorded in 2012 there had not been such a sad fact to regret.
The last deceased pedestrian, identified as RFMT, was run over at about 11:40 a.m. on September 27 when he was crossing the road at the zebra crossing without a traffic light located at the confluence of the Sagrada Familia and Gastón de Bearne streets. The man was run over by the garbage truck driven by JMBA, 55, who stated that he was unable to stop in time. The agents performed alcohol and drug tests on him and both of them returned negative results.
As a result of the accident, the pedestrian suffered very serious injuries that forced him to be transferred urgently to the Miguel Servet hospital, where he had to undergo surgery. But the efforts of the doctors were useless and in the early hours of yesterday his death occurred. The fatal outcome will cause the FCC driver to be investigated now as the author of a reckless homicide, since since the last legal reform, on September 14, all those fatal accidents that are the consequence of a serious infringement of the traffic regulations are processed for this crime. And although the Judicial Police Unit of the Local Police continues to investigate what happened, there is no doubt that the pedestrian had right of way.
The City Council requests an investigation from the FCC
The Zaragoza City Council lamented yesterday the death of the Casablanca resident and wanted to convey its condolences to his family and close friend. “However, while awaiting its results, the Consistory is going to require the concessionaire company of this service, FCC Environment, to open an investigation, as well as its involvement and collaboration in clarifying the facts”, indicated municipal sources. “A review of its safety protocols will also be demanded –they added–, specifically those related to the driving of heavy vehicles on urban roads.”
The continuous road safety campaigns, the increase in alcohol and drug detection tests at the wheel and the acquisition of new radars to penalize speeding have had a clear effect on road accidents in the capital, where in 1989 there were 34 deaths and 467 serious injuries and last year the balance was one death and 125 serious injuries.
A hit every two days
The rise in fatalities that is being recorded this year in the city forces us to do an exercise in reflection. Above all, when it comes to run overs, which are the accidents that are clouding the statistics in an increasingly worrying way. According to local police sources, until last August 31 there had been 140 in the urban area of Zaragoza, with a balance of 25 serious injuries. And in statistical terms, that means that every two days a pedestrian is hit by a car. And not only for trucks, cars or motorcycles, but also for electric scooters, a vehicle that is increasingly used in the capital and that so far this year has already accumulated more than 200 accidents of all kinds. In fact, of the seven deceased in 2022, one was the driver of a scooter, who suffered a fall, and another was a pedestrian who was run over by one of these personal mobility vehicles.