Dubai: If you have ever been flashed by a mobile radar before exceeding the road’s speed limit, do not panic, because Dubai Police have implemented friendly-radars to tell you to slow down.
Major-General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Head of the Federal Traffic Council and Assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Operations Affairs confirmed that up to 500 of those radars are in place across Dubai to only alert drivers that they are about to exceed the road speed limit without issuing them any traffic fines.
 |
Unlike conventional radars like Al Burj (above), the mobile radars will not issue traffic fines. |
“Many people complain that they have been flashed while driving by mobile radars, even though they are below the maximum speed limit, not knowing that Dubai Traffic Police have launched these friendly-radars to let them know that they should slow down on the road,” Al Zafein told an Arabic daily.
Spread across different locations in Dubai, the mobile radars, he added, should not bother motorists who follow the rules, “even they were situated every two metres.”
Also speaking about the top three reasons for fatal accidents on the road between January until December 10, last year, Al Zafein said that inconsiderate driving topped the list of reasons, followed by sudden swerving and not leaving enough distance.
“These three reasons have been the cause behind 60 per cent of fatal accidents recorded in 2016. 41 road deaths and 258 injuries were caused as a result of inconsiderate driving, 36 deaths and 435 injuries were caused by sudden swerving, and 36 other deaths and 403 injuries were caused for not leaving enough distance.”
He noted that over speeding has been another factor behind these accidents.
Older drivers behind more accidents
Al Zafein had also pointed out that young drivers were not found to be the reason behind fatal road accidents in Dubai in 2016.
Accident-prone, younger drivers
“While many would be surprised, but Dubai Traffic Police found that drivers between the age category of 28 to 38 were found to be involved in more fatal accidents than motorists in younger age categories. Motorists between the ages of 28 to 38 have been the cause behind 71 road deaths compared to 54 road deaths caused by drivers between the ages of 18 to 28,” he said.
Al Zafein said that drivers aged 28 caused 13 road deaths compared to drivers aged 19, who were found to have caused only three road deaths. While those who were 50 and above had caused 27 road deaths.
He added that the statistics show that age is not the only factor that determines the ability of a person to drive safely.
“Dubai Traffic Police looks at age groups when it comes to road accidents in order to have specific awareness campaigns that can reduce their occurrence.”
