GCC Traffic Week to focus on road safety awareness

Abu Dhabi/Dubai/ Sharjah: The GCC Traffic Week 2012 kicked off on Sunday across the emirates, with officials reaching out to all segments of the community in a bid to raise road safety awareness and cut down traffic fatalities.

The Ministry of Interior (MOI) coordinated the celebrations, which will run till March 15.

At the GCC Traffic Week opening ceremony in Abu Dhabi the Interior Ministry officially announced its plan to embrace technology to reach out to a wider audience.

"Statistics reveal that currently there are 2.1 mobile phones per every resident in the UAE — the highest worldwide. There are currently 2.9 million Facebook users, and one million Twitter users here. YouTube has become the new TV. Therefore, MOI will use these findings and technology to reach out to the different categories of the society," said Abdul Latif Al Sayegh, the executive director to limit traffic accidents at MOI.

A combination of technologies, media and social networking sites will be used to launch and broadcast ongoing awareness campaign under the slogan "Together". Volunteers, including victims of accidents and motorists who caused accidents, will campaign to foster awareness. Videos depicting the tragedies undergone by families will be screened as well.

In Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) officials visited Rashid Hospital and spoke to accident victims.

Seven people were admitted to the hospitals emergency ward yesterday morning, as RTA officials visited the place, Hussain Al Banna, Director of Traffic Department said.

Apart from them, several others hospital visitors and staff were distributed educative brochures.

"Most accident victims said that they will be much more vigilant while on the roads, after what they went through."

"We met patients on wheelchairs and crutches … some admitted they did not use their seat belts or follow the rules, but promised to change for the better.

Seat belts

People were spoken to about the need to wear seat belts, importance of stopping at the red signal and using car seats for kids

In Sharjah, the celebrations took off under the patronage of Major General Mohammad Hamid Hadidi, Chief of Sharjah Police, at Al Majaz Park in Sharjah, as well as in the central region of Al Dhaid.

"Traffic is still a challenge and a concern for security because of the high rate of accidents and the increasing number of victims, especially among youth," said Maj Gen Al Hadidi.

"We have launched traffic awareness campaigns to reduce the number of traffic accidents," he said.