Push to make capital’s roads safer bearing fruit

Seasoned motorists know that a tight turning radius actually helps one focus more on driving abilities. So, when Shaikh Zayed Street in Abu Dhabi was upgraded to have a turning radius of 5-7.5 metres — as compared to some of the older streets in the capital with a radius of 15-25 metres — it segued smoothly with the Department of Tourism’s broadband efforts to reduce road fatalities.

The ongoing push to make Abu Dhabi roads safer is bearing results. According to the Joint Safety and Traffic Solutions Committee, from its target for 2012 — 16 per 100,000 people — the figures have moved down to 11.5, exceeding expectations. The issue of road safety is typically attributed to motorist discipline and while this is a core component, there is another equally important element, which is safer road design. The latter includes pedestrian crossings, road fencing, walkways, street lighting and visual cues to name a few. A budget of Dh300 million has been set aside to finesse the capital’s road design by 2015.

With this degree of foresight, the authorities are bound to succeed in reaching their goal of nine fatalities per 100,000 earlier than 2021, their target year.