Dubai: Police are urging motorists to refrain from speeding and breaking traffic rules, especially before iftar, as this is when accidents tend to take place.
Lieutenant Colonel Saif Al Mazroui, acting director of Dubai Police’s Traffic Department, said that frustrated motorists are particularly reckless around half an hour before the call to prayer at sunset, which marks the end of the fast.
“Motorists should keep a safe distance with the car in front and use their indicator at all times to avoid accidents. Ramadan is the month where you have to exercise patience and not get angry, so motorists should control their road rage because they should understand that everybody is fasting and feel the same way as they do,” said Lt Col Al Mazroui.
Some of the main traffic violations include quickly changing speed, switching lanes without indicating, driving on the hard shoulder and causing bottleneck traffic when re-entering the road, in addition to missing exits and trying to reverse to reach them.
Lt Col Al Mazroui also pointed out that accidents are not restricted before iftar but also tend to happen after 10pm when Taraweeh prayers are over. “During this Ramadan, a number of accidents that have significantly disrupted traffic occurred along Jumeirah Beach Road because motorists fail to stop at the traffic lights or slow down at speed bumps. A few other accidents also took place while motorists were on their way to the desert and were driving carelessly,” he said.
According to an awareness campaign launched by the Emirates Driving Institute, fasting can lead to temporary low blood sugar and dehydration, which can result in tiredness, impatience, headaches, faint-headedness and loss of concentration.
