You might've already heard about Balcia's new mobile app streamlining insurance purchasing and claim submission. But did you know that it also has a report that shows data on nearby accident locations? Thanks to our creative team, each and every app user can now see potential danger zones on Latvia's roads before taking off!
What is the Balcia Road Risk Report and why do we need it?
In short, it's a summary that allows any user to find out the level of road safety near their home, workplace or any other address. This information will let you make informed decisions regarding the route, date and time of your journey, thus being more mindful about your travel safety.
According to Edgars Korzāns, Balcia Motor Product Manager: "Road Risk Report data shows the black spots within a 3-kilometer radius, i.e. the locations where the most accidents have been recorded, as well as statistics on the time of day, how severe the accidents were, what type of vehicles were involved, the weather conditions at the time of the accidents, and other accident-related data."
The information in the Balcia app is an accumulation of data from the Central Statistical Office, the State Police, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Latvian Motor Insurers Bureau, the weather forecasting and information technology company Weather.com, Google, Tom-Tom and the Latvian State Roads. "This unique set of data allows you to assess how safe or dangerous are the roads near you and which areas you should pay more attention to, either by taking a different route or by taking extra care when driving through these sections," says Edgars.
The most dangerous roads in Riga
According to the Balcia app data, the two most frequent accident locations in Riga are Jaunciems Avenue and Bolderāja. On Jaunciema Avenue, accidents are most frequent in two sections - from the Mīlgrāvis Rimi to the Āliņģu Street bus stop, as well as the Niedru Street bus stop. In Bolderāja, however, a high concentration of black spots can be seen on Silikātu and Stūrmaņu Streets. Most of the victims in these areas are drivers, and the most frequent crashes on these stretches occur on weekdays around 5-6pm, when most people are on their way home from work and traffic is at its heaviest, as well as in nearby supermarket car parks.
The most dangerous roads in Latvia
Looking at the data on the hottest accident spots in Latvia, the most dangerous places are the junction of the A4 and A6 roads in Salaspils municipality, the P94 road before the turn to Staļģene bridge in Jelgava municipality, as well as Daugmale and Stelpe. Outside Riga, accidents are also most frequent just after working hours, but there are also quite a few accidents at other times of the day.
From an idea to a finished product in just a few months – the Balcia team is always eager to take on new challenges. If you too have bright ideas on how to make our mobile app even more interesting, apply for an introductory call with our HR team today and begin your journey towards work in insurance tomorrow!
