Dahi: We will try to send strong message to drivers

Dubai: Police have asked motorists to stop using mobile phones while driving because they are endangering their lives.

Dubai Police has launched a traffic safety campaign in association with Sony Ericsson under the slogan Keep your Hands on the Wheel and Your Eyes on the Road.

The Dubai Police Chief said if motorists must take calls they should use headsets or hands-free sets or pull over.

Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim said the goal of the campaign was to spread awareness of safe driving and encourage motorists to use hands-free mobile sets instead of holding the phone in one hand and the wheel in the other.

He said police teams on the roads will ask motorists not to speak on phones while driving.

Culture of safety

"I know many people might not respond at the beginning, but we will try to send across strong messages and show them the dangers of talking on mobile phones while driving," Lieutenant General Dahi said.

Lieutenant General Dahi said the major factor that leads to lack of attention on the roads nowadays is a mobile phone.

"Worldwide the number of people who die in traffic accidents is much higher than those who die in plane crashes and other accidents such as drowning or scorpion bites. Therefore, this campaign is focusing on driving," he said.

He said mobile phones had become a necessity, but if phone companies could provide hands-free sets and accessories that can reduce the dangers of using mobile phones while driving, then "it is a good thing."

"As security men, our goal is not to issue fines in the first place. Our aim is to spread awareness and a culture of safety because one must be convinced to stop bad habits," Lieutenant General Dahi said.

He said culture rules the system in the first place and punishment comes afterwards.

"We all know the importance of mobile phones in our everyday life. In this regard, we wanted Sony Ericsson to participate in this campaign to highlight the importance of using the right accessories, such as headsets or hands-free car kits that contribute to improving the safety of people," said Husni Al Assi, General Manager of Sony Ericsson MENA.

The campaign will run for two weeks starting from today and will include lectures in secondary schools.

Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, said currently there is an average of two traffic offences every one minute on highways.

He said according to latest statistics, police reported more than one million traffic offences in the first ten months of this year.

Brigadier Al Zafein said police reported more than 32,000 offences of jumping red signals in ten months of 2007, and more than one million speeding offences during the same period.

He said there had been 270 deaths in traffic accidents in the first ten months of this year compared to 312 deaths in 2005.