Are motorists in the UAE finally driving more responsibly? Going by the statistics for the last year, the answer to this question is yes. Figures from the eight months of 2014 point to an 11 per cent drop in accidents due to poor driving habits such as speeding, sudden swerving and lane changing, tailgating, impacts and collisions and run-overs, to name a few. This is good news for motorists as well as the traffic police who have been relentlessly impressing upon people the need to drive safely. The message seems to have done better this year.
However, the 11 per cent drop also highlights the fact that we have a long way to go in bringing down the statistics to truly low levels. While driving schools and traffic police in the UAE are doing everything to ensure people drive safely, it is also the duty and responsibility of every motorist to match the efforts of the authorities with their own. Obtaining a driving licence means having made a pledge to be responsible for one’s own self as well as others on the road. Every motorist must honour this pledge under all circumstances and through 365 days of the year.
