Manama: Kuwait traffic authorities have urged drivers to ensure that children do not sit in the front seats amid reports that 30 children aged below 10 years were killed in car accidents in 2011.
Adel Al Hashash, the head of traffic public relations, said that despite awareness campaigns and new legislation to curb violations, the 2011 figures indicated that accidents were on the rise.
"We recorded 3,531,791 traffic violations last year, with speeding topic the list with 1,526,436," he said, quoted by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna). "The number of accidents was 75,194 and the result is high life losses and incredible damage."
According to the official, 493 people died in the accidents.
"The overwhelming majority of the victims were males, reaching up to 89 per cent. Females represented the remaining victims," he said.
Al Hashash said that there was a deep need for drivers to be attentive behind their steering wheels.
"There are wrong attitudes that have to be avoided, especially using the mobile phone, reading messages and texting."
The official said that the traffic authorities recorded 13,860 mobile use violations in 2011.
Kuwait has been trying to shrug off the reputation that it has one of the highest accident rates in the world.
However, the lack of discipline on the roads has been a formidable challenge for the traffic authorities.
According to the 2009-2019 Traffic National Strategy, congestions and accidents will cost the country KD 27.430 billion ($95 billion) in ten years.
The strategy said that around 200 Kuwaitis were killed and 6,000 injured annually in traffic accident.
More than 25,000 Kuwaitis, mostly relatives of those involved in accidents, are affected every year, the strategy, prepared by an international expert, said.
The amount spent by Kuwait to deal with accidents represents around 6 per cent of its annual GDP.
