Muscat: The Royal Oman Police force (ROP) have warned the public to be extra vigilant on the roads during the Eid festivities, as 25 people died from road accidents in the first half of Ramadan.
As the Eid holiday begins on Thursday, the police in Oman have taken out a front-page advertisement in all the local dailies, urging residents to stick to the speed limits on the roads.
“Ramadan also sees a higher number of accidents, especially before the call for the Magrib prayers, as people drive fast to be home with the family for Iftar,” said a spokesperson for the ROP’s public relations department. “This needless rush undoubtedly leads to fatal and serious accidents.”
He also observed that the habit of staying up all night at this time of year affects a driver’s ability to focus and control a vehicle. “At times the drivers tend to sleep on the steering wheel, causing serious accidents and putting the lives of others at risk,” he said, adding that many accidents also occur in the centre of the city while people are shopping for Eid.
“There have been unusually high cases of people being run-over in the [centre] prior to the Eid shopping,” he said.
The call comes after 283 traffic accidents were registered in the first two weeks of Ramadan. A total of 25 people lost their lives, while 679 others received moderate to serious injuries.
The number of fatalities was slightly less (33) than the previous year during the same period, when 253 road accidents occurred, resulting in 358 people being injured.
“It should be noted that most incidents that occur usually, during the month of Ramadan, are caused by excessive speed and haste,” the ROP spokesperson said.
