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Transport: New traffic regulations in Addis Ababa

The city council has introduced tough new road rules in a bid to improve road safety in the city, the English-language business weekly Capital Ethiopia reports.

The use of seatbelts is now obligatory and driving while using a mobile phone is prohibited. In addition under the new regulations drivers are obliged to maintain their vehicles properly and they are not allowed to broadcast music or messages through loudspeakers while driving in the city.

In addition predestrains are prohibited from jumping over the central barrier on the city’s ring road and they must cross roads only at zebra crossings.

The local traffic police put the number of accidents in Addis Ababa in the first quarter of the 2009/2010 fiscal year at 1,687, down 52 over the fourth quarter of last year, although the number of fatalities has increased by five. The rise in automobile ownership in the city, poor quality roads and poor vehicle maintenance, lack of pavements for pedestrians and congestion especially at peak times all contributute to poor road safety in the capital.

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