UAE | Crime
Call for collective effort in tackling rising road deaths in UAE
Traffic accidents are no less than a global epidemic killing over 1.2 million people annually, said Joop Goos, the President of the International Road Safety Organisation (PRI), stressing the importance of recognising the magnitude of the worldwide problem of accidents.
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 16:26 November 9, 2008
Abu Dhabi: Traffic accidents are no less than a global epidemic killing over 1.2 million people annually, said Joop Goos, the President of the International Road Safety Organisation (PRI), stressing the importance of recognising the magnitude of the worldwide problem of accidents.
In 2003, road traffic deaths were the second leading cause of deaths in UAE. 70.5 per cent of all accidental deaths were traffic accidents. Also, among the Arab countries the highest traffic death toll is in the UAE.
Quoting the World Health Organisation, Goos said the number of road traffic fatalities worldwide is predicted to increase by 67 per cent over the period from 2000 to 2020. For the Middle East and North Africa region, the predicted rise is 68 per cent.
Saying that establishing road safety is a collective responsibility, he said that it is time to start behaving as a civil society.
The five day symposium, held under the patronage of Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is organised by the Emirates Traffic Safety Society (ETSS), the Arab Road Safety (AROSO) and International Road Safety Organisation PRI . Best practices from around the world will be discussed at the symposium in a bid to tackle the ever-growing traffic death toll.
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