Road casualties fall 18% this year

Dubai: There has been an 18 per cent decline in the number of casualties related to vehicular accidents in first five months of this year compared to last year, due to increased road safety awareness and stricter fines being imposed.

According to Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, director of the General Department of Traffic, Dubai Police, the only way to reduce the number of violations, crashes, and casualties is by increasing the number of patrolling cars.

The most recent pilot scheme was the introduction of cameras at various pedestrian crossings in Dubai, which will soon be implemented at every pedestrian crossing, he said.

"We are also planning to place pedestrian sensors on the crossings so that, in the case [of] a person crossing the traffic signal, [it] will indicate red to the incoming vehicle. A system that is used in various western countries," Brigadier Al Zafein said.

Overall, there has been a decline of 2.4 per cent in the number of road accidents and a decline of 4.6 per cent in the number of injures, based on statistics provided by the traffic and accidents department.

In first five months of 2009, the number of pedestrian accidents was 255, of which 33 died, while in the same period of last year there were 299 accidents resulting in 43 fatalities. Although there has been a drop of around 23 per cent in the number of pedestrian casualties, there is an increase in the number of motorists jumping red traffic lights.

According to statistics, there is a 15 per cent increase in the number of accidents resulting from jumping red traffic signals, and a significant increase of over 45 per cent in the number of accidents due to sudden swerving.

It's important to note that pedestrian casualties topped the list of accidents in 2008 and 2009, most of which have taken place in the Al Quoz industrial area, Al Qusais, and on Shaikh Zayed road.

Not keeping a safe distance between cars is another major cause of accidents, with a 19 per cent increase in related accidents this year compared to the same period of last year. However, the number of casualties from both years is the same.

Another cause of road accidents is driving while under the influence of alcohol, which has seen 201 registered accidents this year from 238 accidents in the first five months of last year.

Drinking and driving has one of the toughest penalties with the fine often decided by the court along with getting 24 black points, which is the maximum allowed in a year, and the vehicle being confiscated for 60 days.