Skopje, 6 December 2021 (MIA) – Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski took part on Monday in the second meeting of the Western Balkans Road Safety Observatory entitled “Role of the Traffic Safety Agency and Importance of Reliable Data in Policy Making”. Minister Spasovski addressed the event together with Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation to North Macedonia Steffen Hudolin and Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski. Spasovski underlined the efficiency of speed limiting measures and ways the Interior Ministry enforces them. He stressed that the MoI has been enhancing road safety measures and activities since 2018, focusing on speeding as one of the most common causes of fatal road accidents. Police officers registered as of October 31, a total of 166,853 traffic violations, 70% more compared to the same period in 2020. The most common traffic violations, Spasovski said, are speeding and driving without license or registration. “Increased police activity has resulted in reduced number of fatal road accidents,” Spasovski noted. He stressed that the MoI is also working on improving traffic controls, by procuring new radar speed guns, that also work at night, set to improve the efficiency of measures. Moreover, the Minister added, speed cameras are currently being set up. He also highlighted plans for complete digitalization of the system for collecting and harmonizing data in line with the CADAS protocol, adding that it will also be connected to other systems, such as the health system. “The Ministry of Interior has recently implemented the first part of the project for e-reports for road accidents, establishing a central e-system for road accident reports,” Spasovski said, adding that the software incorporates all aspects of the CADAS protocol. Teams of experts, the Minister noted, are currently working on the second stage in the project. Spasovski also announced Monday that the MoI is planning on updating the current software for entering geo coordinates and ensuring exchange of information with other institutions. The second meeting of the Western Balkans Road Safety Observatory was attended by representatives of the Transport Community, World Bank, European Commission, International Automobile Federation and World Health Organization.