Sharjah: More than 3,230 minor traffic accidents were recorded in Sharjah since schools reopened on August 29, officials have said.
The accident tally was reported up to September 9 on various roads since the new school year started, said the Joint Surveying Committee for Minor Traffic Accidents in Sharjah, formed by the Sharjah Police General Command, in cooperation with Rafid Automotive Solutions (RAS). The figures were based on incidents reported to Rafid’s call and control centre as well as the Rafid smart app.
Rushing, not keeping safe distance
The largest number of daily accidents in 2021 so far was 317, which were recorded on September 2 - much higher than the 213 daily accident average for this year. Meanwhile, the time period of 12pm to 6pm witnessed the highest percentage of daily accidents recorded, and about 60 per cent of accidents occurred because drivers did not keep a safe distance between vehicles.
Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, accident department manager at RAS said the increase in the number of traffic accidents with the start of the back-to-school season was expected due to the spike in movement of vehicles and school buses on the roads, as well as some drivers rushing to their destinations, all of which were contributed to congestion on some roads leading to and from schools.
Al Shamsi added: “With the highest daily traffic incident recorded during this period, we encourage all drivers to follow and abide by traffic laws to maintain the safety of all road users.”
What to do in a minor accident
He said in the event of a minor traffic accident, motorists should park in a safe area and use the Rafid app or call the Rafid call center on the toll free number 80072343.
The app also provides many other services, including roadside assistance for emergency situations, such as refuelling, replacing tires and batteries, and transporting stalled vehicles to workshops.
In addition, Rafid also offers “AutoXpress”, a facility for repairing all types of vehicles, and “AutoXpress Mobile”, which consists of a mobile workshop specialised in repair and maintenance.
