Last year most fatal for motorists in a decade

Dubai: Traffic accidents have claimed the lives of 1,786 people, including 370 UAE nationals, in Dubai in the last 10 years, statistics released by the Roads and Traffic Authority revealed.

Last year recorded the maximum number of casualties with 312 deaths, including that of 32 UAE nationals, since 1997 which recorded 133 deaths, including 28 UAE nationals.

The 10-year figures show that there has been an increase of 32 per cent in fatality rates in 2006 compared to 2005. Some 312 people were killed in accidents in Dubai compared to 236 in 2005.

The number of traffic accidents has also increased by 16 per cent last year, which recorded 243,386 road accidents. Out of them, 1,812 accidents resulted in injuries and 273 accidents ended in 312 fatalities.

Concern

The number of UAE nationals killed in traffic accidents dropped from 40 in 2005 to 32 last year.

Engineer Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and CEO of the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA), expressed concern over rise in death rate in accidents despite the efforts to construct state-of-the-art road networks in accordance with the best international standards of traffic safety and several traffic awareness campaigns.

Al Tayer said fatalities resulting from run-over accidents increased by 20 per cent, with the number of deaths reaching 120 compared to 100 last year.

The 31-km fence built last year to stop pedestrians from crossing the Shaikh Zayed Road was also effective with run-over mortalities coming down to 15 in 2006 from 23 in 2005.

Al Tayer added: "The number of collision accidents, involving two or more vehicles, accounted for 49 per cent of overall accidents registering in the process 896 accidents resulting in the death of 122 persons. Run-over accidents ranked second in the list and accounted for 33 per cent of total accidents with 603 reported accidents resulting in 116 deaths.

"Third came the collision with a solid body, which accounted for 11 per cent and included 198 accidents that resulted in 41 fatalities, while overturn accidents were responsible for 104 accidents claiming the lives of 30 individuals."

Male drivers were responsible for 92 per cent of the fatal accidents.

Stringent steps to rein in violators

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority will review speed limit on Dubai roads this year because speeding caused 80 per cent of fatal accidents last year.

According to a Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) official, the authority will increase the number of radars on roads and more stringent measures will be taken against violators who clock substantial speed violations.

There will be much focus on run-over accidents, which accounted for 38 per cent of total fatal accidents in 2006.

More attention will be given to improve traffic safety on highways, particularly Shaikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, both of which witnessed 94 fatal accidents comprising 30 per cent of the aggregate traffic mortality accidents.

The fourth issue is to step up safety belt use, where the degree of compliance is drastically down.