Revised speed limits on more Abu Dhabi roads

More roads and highways in Abu Dhabi emirate will have their maximum speed limits revised during the next six months, an official source at the Ministry of Interior told Gulf News yesterday.

The move is part of a pilot project to improve road safety, said the ministry source.

The ministry has already announced the increase of the maximum speed limit from 120km/h to 160km/h with effect from Saturday on Abu Dhabi-Al Ain and Abu Dhabi-Sieh Shuwaib highways for six months under the project.

The pilot project is being carried out by Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI).

The official said any motorist found crossing the new speed limit will be fined. Earlier the motorists were given a grace limit of 20km/h.

"The message is that drivers cannot escape fines if they cross the maximum speed limit by even one km/h. They have to be within the speed limit. There will be no more margin or grace limit on these two highways," he said.

The trial plan will be expanded to cover more roads and highways from time to time during the survey project, he said.

The project is being carried out with the support of Emirates Driving Company. The company recently signed an agreement with VTI.

"A study will be carried out during these six months to make a proposal for revising speed limits in Abu Dhabi," he said.

"The main task is to understand the present situation regarding speed limits and the overall traffic situation in Abu Dhabi to help work out a programme for the revised and new speed limit system."

According to him, the Swedish institute has suggested increasing the maximum speed limit on these two highways due to their outstanding nature and to see if it will help cut the number of accidents.

After the project, the types of penalties will also be revised according to the survey results and analysis, he said.

"The fines may be structured more to create an awareness than to punish. Effective fines will be introduced to help educate motorists about road safety.

"For example, violators of traffic rules could be made to attend compulsory classes at the Emirates Driving Company as a form of punishment," he added.

He said the speed limits on Abu Dhabi-Al Ain and Abu Dhabi-Sieh Shuwaib highways were the first to be increased for the survey, while other roads and highways would be gradually selected for the survey with new speed limits.

According to Abu Dhabi Traffic and Licensing Department, 142 people were killed and 2,416 injured in road accidents in the city and its suburbs last year.

The figures show 55 of the dead were youth in the age group of 18 to 20, followed by 47 deaths among the age group of 31 to 45.

However, the report shows a drop of 24 per cent in deaths from 186 in 2003 to 142 last year. It also shows a drop of 22 per cent in the number of accident last year compared to 2003. The 2,558 death or injuries, according to the report, were caused by 445 accidents.