Injured people from traffic accidents will receive free medical care if the new policy proposed by Road Safety & Insurance Fund Service passes the votes at the Council of Ministers. The move comes amid rising concerns over the increasing number of casualties due to accidents on the country's roads. A total of 23,362 traffic accidents occurred in the first six months this year, resulting in 1,872 deaths and 2,888 injuries. It represents a 10pc increase in fatalities and a 5.8pc increase in injuries compared to the previous year. The majority of these accidents occurred in Addis Abeba and the Oromia Regional State. The proposed policy follows a previous compensation scheme that saw accident victims receive 2,000 Br, which Deputy CEO Fetiya Dedgaba deemed inadequate given the current economic climate. It also includes compensation for fatalities in traffic accidents to be higher than the previous amount of 40,000 Br. The Road Safety & Insurance Fund Service was formed through a merger of several entities, including the National Road Safety Council Office, the Insurance Fund Service, and two directorates under the Ministry of Transport & Logistics. The new policy its officials push would provide free treatment for individuals involved in road traffic accidents, which is expected to address some of the financial burdens that often accompany such incidents. Integration of Road Safety course into the school curriculum has been initiated in Addis Abeba and Dire Dewa cities partnering with the Ministry of Education. "The regional states are our next targets," said Fetiya.
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