YEREVAN. – No new streets have been built in Yerevan in recent years, with the exception of Monte Melkonian, whereas there are about 400,000 vehicles in the capital. Sergey Ghahramanyan, a member of the Public Council under the Armenia Police Chief, and head of the "Traffic Safety and Control" NGO, said this at today's press conference.

Ghahramanyan expressed concern that the number of cars in the capital is increasing day by day and as a result, there is such bad traffic situation.

"What has happened that the number of cars has increased and the number of [traffic accident] victims has also increased over the last two years?" he asked. “There are a number of factors. Following the incidents of the last year, there are subconscious changes in people. Part of it [the victims] is the result of carelessness and the Government's inadequate attention to this area.

“The only positive thing I can say is that the number of victims in Yerevan has fallen in recent months; this is due to the increase in the number of cars, as, for example, you can’t drive a car no faster than 30 km/h in downtown Yerevan, whereas the speed is increasing in the provinces and at the outskirts of the capital and there are accidents."

He also presented some statistics showing that there are 253 fatalities due to traffic accidents as of October 1, which is 11 times more than last year.