Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 5415 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
QA
YM YI YE

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 10YEREVAN82, DISTRACTED DRIVING DEMARCHE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #10YEREVAN82.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10YEREVAN82 2010-02-18 12:12 2011-01-13 05:05 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Yerevan
VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYE #0082 0491245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181245Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0037
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OES/S FOR N. CARTER-FOSTER, DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR - KAREN 
JO MCISAAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNDP UNGA IC
SUBJECT: DISTRACTED DRIVING DEMARCHE 
 
REF: STATE 06703 
 
1. Poloff delivered points contained in reftel to Lilit 
Avetisyan, the Armenian Ministry of Health officer 
responsible for road safety issues.  In order to compile some 
of below statistics, Poloff also accessed government 
statistics available to the public at www.armstat.am. 
 
2. According to Avetisyan, there are currently no Armenian 
laws that ban texting and/or cell phone use while driving. 
Still, Avetisyan was optimistic that a law would be passed 
via the Armenian government's 5 year strategic transport 
safety plan.  Avetisyan noted that a law covering cell phone 
use while driving has been discussed by various 
parliamentarian committees, but has not yet been passed or 
implemented by parliament. 
 
3. There is no data available regarding casualties, injuries, 
or crashes in Armenia related to cell phone usage or other 
forms of driver distraction.  Interestingly, traffic accident 
statistics for 2009 showed a 20 percent improvement compared 
to previous years.  Officials believe that this improvement 
was due to a stricter enforcement of fines and other 
sanctions for the violation of traffic rules.  Armenia has 
also recently started cracking down on the widespread and 
long standing non-use of safety belts by Armenian motorists. 
Additionally, Armenian Police recently announced plans to 
install a number of traffic cameras which would have the 
ability to identify motorists who violate the speed limit, 
run traffic lights, and other common traffic violations. 
 
4.  (U) The Armenian government has sponsored a mass media 
awareness campaign regarding cell phone use while driving. 
Avetisyan explained that the campaign placed advertisements 
on television, in newspapers, and distributed pamphlets which 
outlined the dangers of using a cell phone while operating a 
vehicle. 
YOVANOVITCH