Abu Dhabi to launch highway safety plan

Abu Dhabi: The Traffic and Patrol department of Abu Dhabi Police will on Sunday launch an extensive highway safety campaign, following recent tragic highway accidents.

Colonel Hamad Adel Al Shamsi, Director of the Traffic and Patrol department, said the campaign aims to raise awareness among drivers and road users to enhance traffic safety, which is a priority for Abu Dhabi Police.

Al Shamsi said the campaign would include awareness programmes and field procedures, which include intensifying patrols on all highways in Abu Dhabi and areas that have witnessed repetitive accidents, as well as analysing the cause of these accidents.

The first quarter of this year saw a decrease in the number of road accident casualties, according Al Shamsi, who said the number of deaths between January 1 and March 31 was 74 with 103 serious injuries, while deaths reached 84 and serious injuries 121 during the same period last year.

Patrols

A new plan will be implemented to reduce the number of accidents, which includes intensifying highway patrols and providing them with electronic monitoring systems and radars to catch speeding vehicles.

Al Shamsi said the stricter measures aim to protect road users, adding that policemen will advise people on the necessity of commitment to safety measures such as fastening seatbelts, paying attention, leaving sufficient distance between vehicles and avoiding the use of mobile phones while driving.

The campaign will run until satisfactory results are reached.